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.
The court said staffing levels needed for safety protection, facility damage prevention and product quality maintenance must remain at normal levels, to prevent damage to facilities and production.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
AFP spoke to foreign attendees from the European Union, the Middle East and Southeast Asia on Thursday, drawn to Shenzhen's prowess for everything from infrastructure maintenance and aerial monitoring to racing events.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
Kuwaiti officials say the closure of oil infrastructure allows for overdue maintenance.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
A pelican, with an oversized bucket-like beak, was in need of last-minute maintenance.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Homer’s duties encompassed driving the team, sundry maintenance, and what Ridgeway termed “bookkeeping.”
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
Vocabulary lists containing maintenance
Freak the Mighty
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Declaration of the Rights of Woman (1791)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Franklin D. Roosevelt, "A Date That Will Live In Infamy" (1941)
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
