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.
In their statement on Tuesday, the UN agencies called on the international community to sustain funding for Rohingya refugees and their host communities in Bangladesh.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
This is why Butterfly Conservation's Magdalen Hill Downs reserve attempts to sustain a range of different habitats, explains the charity's reserves officer, Fiona Scully.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
On Sunday, Marcos also warned the public against hoarding diesel, saying that only consumers with legitimate operational needs may store fuel to sustain essential services and daily operations.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
“They’re not getting enough to sustain their businesses the way it was prior to this shutdown, by any means.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026
Everyone told him he was crazy, that the rocky, wild hill could sustain no life, and my mother was more than upset.
From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya
Vocabulary lists containing sustain
List 2
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Mother's Day Words: What Mothers Do
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"Joyas Voladoras" by Brian Doyle
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