maintain life
idiom
: to make it possible for life to exist or continue
They barely had enough food to maintain life.
Examples of maintain life in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After Smith's story made headlines, the Georgia Attorney General’s Office said in a statement that the law did not require doctors to maintain life support after a patient had been declared brain dead, the outlet reported.
—
Becca Longmire, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Doctors have reportedly told her family that under Georgia's heartbeat law, they are legally required to maintain life support until the fetus reaches viability.
—Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
For instance, a recent study found that journaling was a helpful way for new college students to maintain life satisfaction during a time of transition.
—Wendy Wisner, Health, 4 Jan. 2025
Their findings point to a common metronome: the mitochondria, which may be the timekeeper of the cell, setting the rhythm for a variety of developmental and biochemical processes that create and maintain life.
—Quanta Magazine, 18 Sep. 2023
In many instances, a prenuptial agreement requires each spouse to maintain life insurance on the other to ensure a level of liquidity, either from a policy’s death benefit or from its cash value.
—Jim Farmer, Forbes, 19 Apr. 2023
The medicine must be essential to maintain life or to continue therapy for a chronic condition.
—Mike Cason | McAson@al.com, al, 2 Sep. 2021
The two fused to form a mutually beneficial relationship that has lasted more than a billion years, with the latter providing a safe, comfortable home and the former becoming a powerhouse, fueling the processes necessary to maintain life.
—Diana Kwon, Discover Magazine, 3 July 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Becca Longmire, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Doctors have reportedly told her family that under Georgia's heartbeat law, they are legally required to maintain life support until the fetus reaches viability.
—Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
For instance, a recent study found that journaling was a helpful way for new college students to maintain life satisfaction during a time of transition.
—Wendy Wisner, Health, 4 Jan. 2025
Their findings point to a common metronome: the mitochondria, which may be the timekeeper of the cell, setting the rhythm for a variety of developmental and biochemical processes that create and maintain life.
—Quanta Magazine, 18 Sep. 2023
In many instances, a prenuptial agreement requires each spouse to maintain life insurance on the other to ensure a level of liquidity, either from a policy’s death benefit or from its cash value.
—Jim Farmer, Forbes, 19 Apr. 2023
The medicine must be essential to maintain life or to continue therapy for a chronic condition.
—Mike Cason | McAson@al.com, al, 2 Sep. 2021
The two fused to form a mutually beneficial relationship that has lasted more than a billion years, with the latter providing a safe, comfortable home and the former becoming a powerhouse, fueling the processes necessary to maintain life.
—Diana Kwon, Discover Magazine, 3 July 2021
Cite this Entry
“Maintain life.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maintain%20life. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share