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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.

But to sustain that interest in the intervening period, it would need to plug into the broader cinematic universe of European club soccer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

Beyond storing carbon, mangroves play a critical role in shielding shorelines from storms, supporting wildlife, and helping sustain coastal communities.

From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026

While Big Tech stocks may still be flying high, some companies are realizing they can’t sustain this level of spending on tokens.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026

“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

In practice, the engine was used to power ornamental fountains, but not to pump water out of mines, because Savery could not build boilers and cylinders which would sustain a sufficiently high pressure.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton




Vocabulary lists containing sustain


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