maintenance
noun
main·te·nance
ˈmānt-nən(t)s 
ˈmān-tə-nən(t)s
1
: the act of maintaining : the state of being maintained : support
The building has suffered from years of poor maintenance.
2
: something that maintains
at least half of them are living parasitically on the other half instead of producing maintenance for themselves—
G. B. Shaw
G. B. Shaw3
: the upkeep of property or equipment
the maintenance of the school
4
: an officious or unlawful intermeddling in a legal suit by assisting either party with means to carry it on
Examples of maintenance in a Sentence
Soon he could take an Underwood apart and put it together blindfolded, a trick that won him the account for maintenance of all the typewriters at Columbia-Presbyterian hospital …
—Ian Frazier, Atlantic, November 1997
The building has suffered from years of poor maintenance.
the costs of routine car maintenance
maintenance of law and order
money for the family's maintenance
Ian Frazier, Atlantic, November 1997
The building has suffered from years of poor maintenance.
the costs of routine car maintenance
maintenance of law and order
money for the family's maintenance
Recent Examples on the Web
Strategic Survival In The Age Of AI Healthcare organizations are hesitant to invest in AI due to high upfront costs, ongoing expenses for system maintenance, and the need for continuous human oversight.
—James Lindsey, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Then, a family needs to budget for shelter, food and other monthly maintenance costs.
—Daniel Eduardo Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
Long commutes, isolation from friends, and unexpected maintenance costs have turned dream homes into financial and emotional burdens.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Other violations for area maintenance and general cleanliness were also recorded.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maintenance
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James Lindsey, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Then, a family needs to budget for shelter, food and other monthly maintenance costs.
—Daniel Eduardo Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025
Long commutes, isolation from friends, and unexpected maintenance costs have turned dream homes into financial and emotional burdens.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
Other violations for area maintenance and general cleanliness were also recorded.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maintenance
Cite this Entry
“Maintenance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maintenance. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
maintenance
noun
main·te·nance
ˈmānt-nən(t)s
-ᵊn-ən(t)s
1
: the act of maintaining : the state of being maintained
maintenance of law and order
money for the family's maintenance
2
: something that maintains
3
: the care of property or equipment
workers in charge of maintenance
Medical Definition
maintenance
adjective
main·te·nance
ˈmānt-nən(t)s, -ᵊn-ən(t)s
: designed or adequate to maintain a patient in a stable condition : serving to maintain a gradual process of healing or to prevent a relapse
a maintenance dose
maintenance chemotherapy
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