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What is the opposite of nurture?

Need antonyms for nurture? Here's a list of opposite words from our thesaurus that you can use instead.

Verb
Opposite of to care for and protect (someone or something) while they are growing
“According to a study, parents who abused alcohol and drugs were four times more likely to neglect their children.”
Verb
Opposite of to provide with nourishment
“It is no surprise that your flowers are not thriving when you deprive them of water.”
Verb
Opposite of to help or encourage the growth or development of
“Pushy and overenthusiastic parents may consciously or unconsciously hinder their children's development and make them more prone to early burnout and mental fatigue.”
Verb
Opposite of to teach, train or educate in a given field
“Superficial self-help jargon, abusive application of talk-show psychology, and inaccurate information would misguide her because of her own well-concealed insecurity.”
Verb
(care for) Opposite of to look after
“It was a common trait among the male species to abandon its young family once they were old enough to fend for themselves.”
Verb
Opposite of to nurture and care for (someone or something) as they grow
Verb
Opposite of to nurture or look after in a fatherly or paternal way
“He found his work to be so involved that he would often neglect his children.”
Verb
(with object) Opposite of to cause vegetation or plants to germinate and develop
“If you don't water the garden, you're going to kill everything that lives there.”
Verb
Opposite of to strengthen or reaffirm in rank or position
“His latest traffic transgression would undermine his clean driving record.”
Verb
Opposite of to have or harbor in one's heart or mind
Verb
Opposite of to strengthen or support physically or mentally
“Those unpleasant incidents would rankle in his mind and would plague him at nights when he lay sleepless, staring at the ceiling.”
Verb
Opposite of to provide (someone) with an understanding of something profound
Verb
Opposite of to provide (someone) with an understanding, usually thought-provoking in nature
“His choice of words was incredibly perplexing and worked to confuse many of the journalists.”
Verb
(sometimes figuratively) Opposite of to give a boost or energy to
Verb
Opposite of to harbor feelings or thoughts
“Funny how the mind works, that I could so quickly forget the love I had for my sport and how far it had taken me.”
Verb
Opposite of to grow in intensity
“Zack's rage would subside after he realized that things weren't actually that bad.”
Verb
Opposite of to increase or grow in strength or intensity
Noun
Opposite of the action or process of nurturing or cultivating someone or something
“He delivered a powerful moment of emotion when he spoke about coming from a life of neglect but forgave his mother because of her own inauspicious upbringing.”
Noun
Opposite of upbringing, education, and environment, contrasted with inborn characteristics
“He was, by nature, a gifted athlete, but he was also lazy and with a poor work ethic, did not reach the heights of success typically achieved by elite sportspeople.”
Noun
Opposite of the provision of food
“They suffered deprivation and starvation in the prison camp and prayed nightly for their deliverance.”
Noun
Opposite of one's upbringing, usually of a child
“Both parents were accused of contributing to their child's neglect.”
Noun
Opposite of food, clothes, and other essentials for living
“Please don't bring any non-essentials, as our luggage is already bursting at the seams.”
Noun
Opposite of something that promotes action or activity, especially in an official capacity
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