maintain

play

verb main·tain \ mān-ˈtān , mən- \

Definition of maintain

transitive verb

1 :to keep in an existing state (as of repair, efficiency, or validity) :preserve from failure or decline

maintain machinery

2 :to sustain against opposition or danger :uphold and defend

maintain a position

3 :to continue or persevere in :carry on, keep up

couldn't maintain his composure

4 a :to support or provide for

has a family to maintain

b :sustain

enough food to maintain life

5 :to affirm in or as if in argument :assert

maintained that the earth is flat

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maintainability

play \-ˌtā-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

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maintainable

play \-ˈtā-nə-bəl\ adjective

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maintainer

noun

See maintain defined for English-language learners

See maintain defined for kids

Examples of maintain in a Sentence

They have always maintained high standards of professional conduct.
He has found it difficult to maintain a healthy weight.
The company has done a poor job of maintaining its computer network.
It was obvious that the house had been poorly maintained.
She was finding it hard to maintain her balance.
She still maintains a close relationship with her college roommate.
It's difficult to maintain a correspondence when we're both so busy.
The pilot was struggling to maintain control of the aircraft.
The police say that they will do whatever is necessary to maintain law and order.

Recent Examples of maintain from the Web

Tillerson is a native Texan who maintains a home in the state.

— anne gearan, Washington Post, "Tillerson thanks Mexico for hurricane aid offer but doesn’t say U.S. will accept it," 30 Aug. 2017
Reduce heat, cover pot, and cook, stirring occasionally and maintaining a gentle simmer, until escarole is very tender, 20–25 minutes.

— Bon Appetit, "Escarole with Cannellini Beans," 29 Aug. 2017
In maintaining its exceptional early American character, the current owners of this home for sale—a 3,384 sq.

— elizabeth finkelstein, Country Living, "This is the Stone Farmhouse We've Been Waiting Our Whole Lives to Buy," 24 Aug. 2017
More than half of the women in this country who look like me and voted chose to maintain their racial superiority.

— danielle tcholakian, Longreads, "I Want to Persuade You to Care About Other People," 24 Aug. 2017
Coral Ridge Presbyterian and Briarwood maintained a close association over the years as two of the largest churches in the Presbyterian Church in America denomination.

— greg garrison, AL.com, "Ministry files lawsuit against Southern Poverty Law Center for labeling it a hate group," 23 Aug. 2017
Lee descendants maintain a tradition of curating the family’s place in history.

— simon romero, New York Times, "‘The Lees Are Complex’: Descendants Grapple With a Rebel General’s Legacy," 22 Aug. 2017
After accepting the Yale offers, which hinged on the Ivy League school's generous financial aid package, the boys maintained some structure over the summer through jobs and internships.

— malaika jabali, Essence.com, "Black Excellence: These Quadruplet Brothers Are All Headed To Yale This Fall," 22 Aug. 2017
In a typical presidential administration, the spouse of a cabinet member can manage to stay under the radar, remain out of the public eye, and maintain at least a semblance of pre-government life normalcy.

— maggie mallon, Glamour, "Louise Linton Insulted Someone on Instagram for Not Being As Rich As She Is," 22 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'maintain.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of maintain

Middle English mainteinen, from Anglo-French maintenir, maynteiner, from Medieval Latin manutenēre, from Latin manu tenēre to hold in the hand

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

maintain Synonyms

Synonyms

conserve, keep up, preserve, save

Antonyms

deny, gainsay

Related Words

service; support, sustain; care (for), husband, manage; defend, guard, protect, safeguard, screen, shield; cure, fix, heal, remedy; mend, patch, rebuild, reconstruct, rehabilitate, rejuvenate, restore

Near Antonyms

disregard, ignore, neglect; break, damage, destroy, harm, hurt, impair, injure, ruin, wreck

Synonym Discussion of maintain

maintain, assert, defend, vindicate, justify mean to uphold as true, right, just, or reasonable. maintain stresses firmness of conviction.

- steadfastly maintained his innocence

assert suggests determination to make others accept one's claim.

- asserted her rights

defend implies maintaining in the face of attack or criticism.

- defended his voting record

vindicate implies successfully defending.

- his success vindicated our faith in him

justify implies showing to be true, just, or valid by appeal to a standard or to precedent.

- the action was used to justify military intervention

MAINTAIN Defined for English Language Learners

maintain

play

verb

Definition of maintain for English Language Learners

: to cause (something) to exist or continue without changing
: to keep (something) in good condition by making repairs, correcting problems, etc.
: to continue having or doing (something)