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.
Zendaya’s ability to sustain Rue’s humor and humanity across Season 3’s eight episodes of shock-and-awe material shows real commitment.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Treasury must sustain its conviction that properly deployed, economic power profoundly complements traditional military and diplomatic tools.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Beyond storing carbon, mangroves play a critical role in shielding shorelines from storms, supporting wildlife, and helping sustain coastal communities.
From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026
While Big Tech stocks may still be flying high, some companies are realizing they can’t sustain this level of spending on tokens.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 4, 2026
This earth they had been eating in water for some days—goddess of mercy earth, it was called, because it had some slight nutritious quality in it, although in the end it could not sustain life.
From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck
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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