maintenance
Usage
What are other ways to say maintenance?
Generally, maintenance refers to care or upkeep, as of machinery or property. But sometimes, maintenance refers to what is spent for the living of another: to provide for the maintenance or support of someone. Maintenance occasionally refers to the allowance itself provided for livelihood: They are entitled to a maintenance from this estate. Living and livelihood (a somewhat more formal word), both refer to what one earns to keep (oneself) alive, but are seldom interchangeable within the same phrase: to earn one's living; to threaten one's livelihood. “To make a living” suggests making just enough to keep alive, and is particularly frequent in the negative: You cannot make a living out of that. “To make a livelihood out of something” suggests rather making a business of it: to make a livelihood out of knitting hats.
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.
The company has previously said that safety is its top priority and that it does not believe maintenance on its transmission lines suffered before the Eaton fire.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
The only points of passage that have tollbooths are the Suez and Panama canals, both of which are artificial constructions that require maintenance.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
Enrollment declines opened the door to maintenance staff layoffs, giving the invasive shrub the upper hand.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026
Experts note that these are long-term maintenance medications.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026
Yet Burnham knew that such expenditures, as well as continued spending on police, garbage removal, and maintenance of roads and lawns, was vital.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
