sustainable

adjective sus·tain·able \ sə-ˈstā-nə-bəl \

|Updated on: 6 Jun 2018

Examples: sustainable in a Sentence

Definition of sustainable

1 : capable of being sustained

2 a : of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged

sustainable techniques

sustainable agriculture

b : of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods

sustainable society

—

sustainability

play \sə-ˌstā-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

—

sustainably

play \sə-ˈstā-nə-blē\ adverb

See sustainable defined for English-language learners

Examples of sustainable in a Sentence

a line of argument that is probably not sustainable in a public forum against skilled debaters
has no sustainable claim to the property without a deed or some other document

Recent Examples of sustainable from the Web

When builders come to the city seeking economic incentives, their plans are evaluated with a scoring system that measures potential social benefits including job creation, access to public transit and environmentally sustainable construction.

— bill turque, kansascity, "KC Council defines affordable housing rents (and it's not $2K a month) | The Kansas City Star," 24 May 2018
McCartney, 46, is best known for her sustainable and ethical approach to fashion.

— tamara abraham, Harper's BAZAAR, "Everything You Need to Know About Stella McCartney: Meghan Markle's Second Dress Designer," 19 May 2018
The Zambian government has placed water management on its economic and sustainable development agenda in its seventh national development plan, for the period 2017 to 2021, according to the Ministry of Energy and Water Development.

— danstan kaunda, The Christian Science Monitor, "Facing prolonged droughts, Zambia regulates groundwater use," 16 May 2018
As negotiations continue this week in Washington, Mr. Trump should remember that real and sustainable change in trade relationships comes from agreement on rules, not purchase targets.

— daniel m. price, WSJ, "Managed Trade? I’m Back in the U.S.S.R.," 13 May 2018
Greasy pepperoni and cheese aren’t sustainable and healthy breakfast options, but a few key substitutions can turn pizza into a great breakfast—with a lot less sugar than typical breakfast foods.

— julia naftulin, Health.com, "I Ate Pizza for Breakfast Every Day for a Week—Because a Nutritionist Said It Was Healthier Than Cereal," 4 May 2018
This year, Tess plans to seek a Gold Award, which requires girls to create and execute sustainable projects to improve their communities.

— robert mccoppin, chicagotribune.com, "Girls break new ground camping with Boy Scouts, but will shift hurt Girl Scouts?," 27 Apr. 2018
The award recipients--part of the Fore!Kids Foundation group of supported charities--make significant contributions to building resilient and sustainable communities through their inspirational leadership and ability to enact positive change.

— ron higgins, NOLA.com, "Jim Furyk and David Duval are Zurich Classic's oldie but goodies," 24 Apr. 2018
In addition to that Undoing national monuments robs communities of a sustainable and renewable economic source and deprives citizens of the ability to experience their nation’s natural heritage, Hough said.

— joyce strand, Ramona Sentinel, "Indivisible Ramona forum addresses environment, degulation," 15 Apr. 2018

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