2 syllables: fos, tered. Stress on fos.
FAH-sturd
/ˈfɑstɚd/
fostered is pronounced FAH-sturd (/ˈfɑstɚd/). It has two syllables (fos-tered), with the stress on "fos". Fostered is the past tense and past participle of foster, meaning to encourage or nurture the growth or development of someone or something, or to bring up (a child) in one's family. It implies deliberate support or cultivation over a period, often in a caregiving or developmental context. In usage, it denotes previously provided care, guidance, or fostering of conditions that promote growth or improvement.
Fostered is the past tense and past participle of foster, meaning to encourage or nurture the growth or development of someone or something, or to bring up (a child) in one's family. It implies deliberate support or cultivation over a period, often in a caregiving or developmental context. In usage, it denotes previously provided care, guidance, or fostering of conditions that promote growth or improvement.
- You’ll often distort the first vowel by over-shortening it; keep it longer to maintain FOS- without turning into FOs-tered. - The /st/ cluster is velocity-heavy; don’t insert a vowel between /s/ and /t/. - Final /d/ can be devoiced or elided in rapid speech; aim for a full /d/ sound with a brief release. - In non-rhotic accents, be mindful that the second syllable loses the rhotic r; ensure you articulate /ər/ or /ə/ clearly before the /d/.
"The school fostered a love of reading in its students."
"After moving to a new city, she fostered a sense of community through local volunteering."
"The program fostered collaboration between engineers and designers."
Pronounce as two syllables: FOS-terd. IPA US/UK/AU: /ˈfɔː.stərd/ in US commonly; /ˈfɒs.tə d/ in careful UK/AU speech. The primary stress is on the first syllable. The second syllable features a schwa or a reduced /ər/ depending on accent; the final /d/ is a clear voiced stop. Mouth: open jaw for the first vowel, lips relaxed; for /st/, keep a light, quick cluster release. Consider a brief vowel length on /ɔː/ or /ɒ/ before the /st/ cluster, then a clean /ər/ or /ə d/ at the end. Listen for the subtle r-colored vowel in rhotic accents and practice with a sentence: “The program fostered a sense of community.”
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (fostered sounding like foSTERD) and blending the /t/ and /s/ into an unclear cluster. Some speakers insert an extra vowel, saying for-STER-ed, or pronounce the final /d/ as a soft /t/. To correct: keep primary stress on FOS-; release /st/ together with a brief stop before /ər/; end with a crisp /d/. Practicing with minimal pairs helps: fostered vs foster’d (poetic contraction), or versus forested, which has a distinct root and stress pattern. Ensure the /r/ is pronounced only in rhotic accents; in non-rhotic accents, the final /r/ becomes a schwa before /d/.
In US English, you’ll hear a longer, rounded /ɔː/ in FOS- and a rhotic /r/ in the second syllable: /ˈfɔː.stərd/. In many UK accents, /ɒ/ or /ɒː/ is used in the first vowel with an unreleased or lightly tapped /t/; final /d/ remains voiced. Australian English typically features a broader /ɒ/ or /ɒː/ and a less rhotic r, with a clear /d/ at the end and a short /ə/ in the middle. The effect is subtle but noticeable: accent-driven vowel length and rhoticity shape the second syllable. Practice with region-specific audio to lock the rhythm for your target audience.
The challenge lies in the two-consonant cluster /st/ after the first vowel and the light, fast release into the second syllable, plus the final /d/. In rapid speech, the /t/ can become a glottal stop or be less released, and the /ər/ or /ə/ can reduce to a schwa, changing perceived emphasis. Additionally, non-rhotic speakers may drop the r in some positions, affecting the second syllable’s shape. Focusing on the clean /st/ release and a controlled final /d/ helps you stabilize the word in connected speech.
Unlike many verbs with a clear past tense, 'fostered' maintains a relatively stable two-syllable profile across dialects, with only minor vowel and rhotic differences. The word’s main pronunciation focus is the /ɔː/ vs /ɒ/ split in the first vowel, and the non-syllabic second vowel /ər/ or /ə/. The combination of a stressed first syllable, a quick /st/ cluster, and a crisp final /d/ makes it a useful test case for learners aiming to master two-syllable, consonant-heavy words in connected speech.
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- US: emphasize the /ɔː/ vowel in FOS-, keep /st/ crisp, end with a clear /d/. - UK: lighter /t/ release, possibly more /ɒ/ in the first vowel, less pronounced rhoticity; maintain steady rhythm. - AU: broader /ɒ/ and a less pronounced final r; keep the /d/ crisp and audible; ensure the middle schwa isn’t too reduced. Use IPA references to compare regions and adjust mouth position accordingly.
The verb foster comes from Old English fōstan (to nourish, cherish) and was influenced by Old French fosterer (to nourish, educate). The form fostered emerged in Middle English as a past tense and past participle to indicate completed nurturing or upbringing. The semantic shift centers on caregiving and development, increasingly tied to formal fostering of children and initiatives to support growth (education, care programs). Over time, fostered broadened to include abstract nurturing—ideas, policies, or environments—rather than only literal child-rearing or nourishment. First attestations appear in medieval texts referencing guardianship, mentorship, and the provision of sustenance or support. In modern usage, fostered commonly collocates with words like “development,” “growth,” “relationships,” and “creativity,” reinforcing the sense of deliberate cultivation and encouragement across personal, educational, and organizational domains.
💡 Etymology tip: Understanding word origins can help you remember pronunciation patterns and recognize related words in the same language family.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "fostered" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "fostered" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "fostered"
-red sounds
-ted sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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