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.
Their gene activity was also more strongly focused on fundamental cell maintenance and protein production.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026
She said the company strives to have a strong maintenance and inspection program and still was performing post-fire examinations and testing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Initially, Minnesota did share some information when the DOJ asked, mostly relating to maintenance of its voter rolls, which is congressionally mandated.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
"We know that the city is proud of them, and this major mechanical, electrical, hydraulic and fabric maintenance project will restore them to their absolute best," he added.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Before the tsunami, units 4, 5, and 6 had been shut down for maintenance.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
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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