noun

care

keh-uh

noun

Serious attention or effort put into avoiding mistakes or harm.

"Please handle the packages with care."

"She reviewed the contract with great care before signing."

Worry or concern about something.

"He tried to hide the cares weighing on him."

"Money troubles were a constant care for the family."

The looking after of someone's health, safety, or wellbeing.

"The elderly need round-the-clock care in some cases."

"The hospital provides excellent care to newborns."

verb

To feel concern or interest about something.

"I really care what happens to this project."

"Nobody seemed to care about the missed deadline."

To look after someone or something (usually with "for").

"She cares for her father, who has dementia."

"Volunteers care for injured wildlife at the shelter."

How to Use Care

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the worry you feel about something, or the effort and attention you give to keeping someone or something safe and well.

Common mistake

"Care for" usually means look after (she cares for her mother), while "care about" means find important (she cares about the outcome) — mixing them up changes the meaning.

Common pairings

take care of care for someone with great care health care

Word Forms

cared past tense, cares plural, care plural, cared plural, Cares plural, cares singular, care singular, cared singular, carest singular, caredst singular, careth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Please handle the packages with _____.

Etymology

From Old English caru/cearu ("worry, sorrow, concern"), from a Germanic root meaning "to cry out" — the word originally leaned more toward grief than the neutral "attention" sense it carries today.

Synonyms

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becare bother concern oneself heed mind reck trouble oneself worry

Antonyms

let slide neglect

Related Words

abandonment mind listen remember forget substance attention upset

Rhymes for care

are dare hare mare fare bare rare ware gare share snare stare

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