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 move would give lawmakers power over the center’s operations, maintenance and management.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
The company this week rolled out ads touting mobile service, where roving technicians, equipped with special service vans, travel to wherever customers are and perform diagnostics, maintenance and some repairs on site.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
With its powerful weight-loss capabilities, retatrutide may be more suited to people with severe obesity, while the pills are increasingly viewed as a maintenance option or for people with less weight to lose.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 6, 2026
This includes core staff costs, running expenses of the King's official household including receptions, maintenance of palaces in England and travel costs for royal engagements.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Once we’d made it through the narrow tunnel at Camden Street Station, we had to wait for maintenance work to be completed on the train bound for Washington.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
Vocabulary lists containing maintenance
Freak the Mighty
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Declaration of the Rights of Woman (1791)
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Franklin D. Roosevelt, "A Date That Will Live In Infamy" (1941)
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