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.
Yaroslavsky, who holds a wide lead in fundraising, has said she supports increasing housing density near transit centers but cautioned against building more than the city can sustain.
From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2026
“Stock investors have stayed upbeat in part because the earnings picture, especially in AI-capex-linked sectors, has remained healthy enough to sustain risk appetite,” UBS Global Wealth Management Chief Investment Officer Mark Haefele wrote on Thursday.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
Sunburn is a clear sign your skin has been damaged, although you do not need to burn—or even turn pink—to sustain skin damage.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
Xi has drawn one lesson from the Soviet Union’s collapse above all: Moscow’s economy was too narrow—dependent on a handful of industries such as steel, energy and weapons—to sustain a world power.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Vocally, however, children find it quite difficult to sustain their own vocal part against that of another singer or singers before the age of 8.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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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