sustain
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.
“L.A. is learning to be a place that needs to sustain itself out of balance, in particular, since the fires,” she said.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
American tanker aircraft helped sustain Israeli operations, and officials from both countries worked closely in planning military actions.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
But that’s below the rate of 2.1 children needed to sustain a stable population, according to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026
That trend has held remarkably well, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain.
From Science Daily • May 30, 2026
The small population size of tribelets explains not only why they can’t sustain epidemics introduced from the outside, but also why they never could evolve epidemic diseases of their own to give back to visitors.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Vocabulary lists containing sustain
List 2
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"Joyas Voladoras" by Brian Doyle
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Mother's Day Words: What Mothers Do
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