sustenance

noun

sus·​te·​nance ˈsə-stə-nən(t)s 

1

a

: means of support, maintenance, or subsistence : living

b

: food, provisions

also : nourishment

2

a

: the act of sustaining : the state of being sustained

b

: a supplying or being supplied with the necessaries of life

3

: something that gives support, endurance, or strength

Synonyms

• food
• nourishment

Examples of sustenance in a Sentence

Tree bark provides deer with sustenance in periods of drought.

The village depends on the sea for sustenance.

She draws spiritual sustenance from daily church attendance.

Recent Examples on the Web

That sustenance was found on a private bay where our rafting experience ended with a beachside lunch. —Marlise Kast-Myers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025

Like hospitals where life-saving procedures are performed, schools where innovators are educated and farms where sustenance is grown, data centers’ impact can be measured by the work that goes on inside them. —Phillip Marangella, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025

Through documentaries, independent research, and consultation with my gardening grandparents, my view of food transformed from just sustenance to our most powerful tool to heal and prevent illness. —Brianna J. Heath, Essence, 16 July 2025

But a look at the role of federal funding in the state budget provides and indication that sustenance for millions of Californians hangs in the balance, making this fight more than merely a contest of political micturition. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from sustenir

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

sustenance

noun

sus·​te·​nance ˈsəs-tə-nən(t)s 

1

a

: means of support, maintenance, or existence

b

: nourishment sense 1

2

: the act of sustaining : the state of being sustained

especially : a supplying with the necessities of life

3

: something that gives support, help, or strength