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Definitions

sustain

[suh-steyn] / səˈsteɪn /




Usage

What are other ways to say sustain?

To sustain, a rather elevated word, suggests completeness and adequacy in supporting: The court sustained his claim. To support is to hold up or add strength to, literally or figuratively: The columns support the roof. To maintain is to support so as to preserve intact: to maintain an attitude of defiance. 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:

"I think at that level they'll be able to sustain that over the foreseeable future, even with the war in Ukraine."

From BBC Sep. 5, 2026

They help sustain this boutique press because of wealth that has been accrued, in many cases, in a sector predicated on a steady supply of new technologies.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 4, 2026

“Continued execution on the capacity buildout, faster deployment and greater efficiency increase our confidence in Microsoft’s ability to sustain Azure growth,” he said.

From MarketWatch Sep. 1, 2026

"Moreover, we have seen that the more we are exposed to screens and social media, the harder it becomes to sustain our attention and concentrate on reading."

From Barron's Sep. 1, 2026

He knows he's supposed to honor his country and his leaders, and that means to obey, honor, and sustain its laws.

From "The Boy Who Dared" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Currently the resurgence is fuelled locally by anger over foreign trawlers which overfish in Somali waters, damaging the fishing industry that sustains communities in Puntland.

From BBC Aug. 29, 2026

“You can only find it in King’s Landing. It sustains itself on the waste of other creatures. It’s beautiful.”

From Salon Aug. 11, 2026

Mr. Stevens, known to American audiences for playing Matthew Crawley in “Downton Abbey,” has a supple, sensitive delivery that sustains a sense of epic splendor while bringing out the relatable aspects of Homer’s tale.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 10, 2026

Once authorized, the facility will be allowed to load nuclear fuel and begin start-up testing to achieve first criticality—the point at which a reactor sustains a controlled nuclear chain reaction.

From Barron's Jul. 1, 2026

That which sustains the universe beyond thought and language, and that which is at the core of us and struggles for expression, is the same thing.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel

"We need sustained focus, even during the years when they aren't as bad, to solve this," he said.

From Science Daily Sep. 6, 2026

It’s the greatest sustained run of excellence in baseball in more than a generation.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 5, 2026

But until actual capital starts flowing back to Tokyo, it’s really difficult for the currency to gain sustained strength, he told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch Sep. 4, 2026

“They’re setting it up to be sustained over the long haul, meaning well into next year,” Clark said.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 3, 2026

The exterior sustained some damage, so they’ll pressure-wash it, sand and caulk it, and repaint every wall and window.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers

Meanwhile, left tackle Rashawn Slater, who missed all of last season after sustaining a knee injury in training camp, was sidelined for much of August because of a flare-up to that same knee.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 6, 2026

Shoehi Ohtani threw live batting practice for the first time since sustaining a knee injury that has kept him out of the Dodgers’ rotation since July.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 23, 2026

Those are the stories sustaining our joy during America’s anniversary.

From Salon Aug. 23, 2026

FY27 guidance is also soft due to lower-than-anticipated forecast copper output and higher-than-anticipated all-in sustaining costs, it says.

From The Wall Street Journal Aug. 19, 2026

They created the American republic, then held it together throughout the volatile and vulnerable early years by sustaining their presence until national habits and customs took root.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis




Vocabulary lists containing sustain


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