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Definitions

maintain

[mayn-tayn] / meɪnˈteɪn /




Usage

What are other ways to say maintain? To maintain is to support so as to preserve intact: to maintain an attitude of defiance. To support is to hold up or add strength to, literally or figuratively: The columns support the roof. To sustain, a rather elevated word, suggests completeness and adequacy in supporting: The court sustained his claim. Uphold applies especially to supporting or backing another, as in a statement, opinion, or belief: to uphold the rights of a minority.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Skeletal muscles are the muscles attached to bones that allow us to walk, lift objects, maintain posture, and perform other voluntary movements.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026

Because my wife and I maintain separate finances, I want to be certain this purchase is fair to her and consistent with our financial arrangement.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026

But it will mean little unless they can maintain the momentum against Villa, who were getting beaten heavily by Barcelona as Old Trafford was in tumult.

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2026

“A predictable limitation would enable utilities to maintain investment grade credit ratings to better access capital at lower borrowing costs for customers,” Lynsey Paulo, a PG&E spokesperson, said in an e-mail.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

As with most hotels in the city, the staff worked diligently to maintain its star rating in guidebooks and on travel websites.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

It describes it as a purely economic decision that maintains the long-term option on the assets as load increases over time in Alberta with the arrival of data centers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026

Blunt maintains he was blindsided by the accusation, but bears no grudges.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

The Justice Department maintains that its efforts are intended to prevent illegal voting, which is prohibited in federal elections.

From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2026

A few months later, the small state agency that maintains the official list of tribal contacts unveiled a proposal that some non-recognized tribes argued would effectively exclude them.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026

The philosopher Willard Van Orman Quine goes even further and maintains that experience never forces one to reject any particular belief.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos

Ippolito has maintained that casual can-do attitude about the profession, taking classes and working with acting coaches along the way, but “The Offer” and “I Play Rocky” have become calling cards.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

Philips maintained its forecast of sales growth over the full year of between 3.0 and 4.5 percent.

From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026

The scheme included payoffs to officials who maintained former Mexican President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa’s aircraft fleet, according to the guilty plea.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

Even as some populations maintained relatively stable genetic ancestry within their home regions, they could also participate in broader networks of genetic exchange spanning considerable distances.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026

But once transformed, the bacteria maintained their new coats for several generations—long after any food source would have been exhausted.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Unlike spacecraft equipped with engines that can periodically raise their orbits, Hubble has no propulsion system capable of maintaining its altitude.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026

But part of maintaining its heart and charm is remembering that at its core, “it’s kind of a small operation.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

Colchado is one of the volunteers in charge of maintaining the modest church that will receive Pope Leo, who served as archbishop in this region from 2015 to 2023.

From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026

Meanwhile, seven OPEC+ producers agreed Sunday to keep their oil production targets unchanged for December, maintaining September’s production levels.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026

It hinged on them maintaining the appearance of their fight, so they parted ways before they reached Booker.

From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman


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