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.
See Examples For:
"But now I'm out here among hundreds of people, doing what I must to keep this movement alive - and to sustain the hope they have placed in us."
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
“The show isn’t just where you hear the music; it’s where an artist builds a community, develops other artists and creates a brand that can sustain a career,” Naiman said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
Both women had “a sense of their own inner worth, and that self-respect helped sustain them through difficulties that I never had to experience. Thus was America built.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
“Momentum should sustain ahead, driven by infrastructure modernization and expanding enterprise AI adoption.”
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
We cast lines out again and again hoping to reel something in, anything to sustain us, but she never bit.
From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez
But "higher oil prices is likely going to translate into higher prices for the consumer if it sustains at this level."
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
“You can only find it in King’s Landing. It sustains itself on the waste of other creatures. It’s beautiful.”
From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026
“We are bound to this thing… It sustains us.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
Land power sustains the culture and character that underpin effective military action—and ties the force directly to the American people.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026
But this fact sustains me only in the way that, say, the prospect of heaven cheers a terminally ill person: it’s nice to know, but it isn’t much help from moment to moment.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
“Admittedly, it is highly uncertain how long the bigger purchases will be sustained and it is possible the size of operations could even be increased further going forward,” Hardman said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
In the American context, after all, Oscar season is just about the last place for broad, sustained attention to challenging studio fare, bold independents, international features and documentaries.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
The Welsh government said it would consider the finding's "carefully", and that it wanted to deliver a "sustained national focus on babies, children, and young people's health".
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
Lowell packed sustained winds of around 110 mph during its closest approach, with predictions of rainfall of four to eight inches for Kauai producing the potential for significant flash flooding and mudslides.
From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026
Amazingly, no one had sustained a serious injury.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
Grealish spent the 2025-26 season on loan with Everton, making 20 appearances, before sustaining a season-ending foot injury in January.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
“The naval blockade remains in full force and effect, and Operation Economic Outcast is underway to sever every remaining economic lifeline sustaining the regime.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Shoehi Ohtani threw live batting practice for the first time since sustaining a knee injury that has kept him out of the Dodgers’ rotation since July.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
Those are the stories sustaining our joy during America’s anniversary.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
“Blessed be Thou ... for giving us life, for sustaining us, and for enabling us to reach this day.”
From "Night" by Elie Wiesel
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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