sustainable

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

|Updated on: 15 Aug 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

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sustainability

play \sə-ˌstā-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

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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

Residents in San Diego County now can receive $2.75 per square foot for replacing turf with sustainable landscaping features as part of a new Landscape Transformation Program launched this week across Southern California.

— Pomerado News, "Water agencies increase incentives to replace turf," 13 July 2018
The five bars are collaborating with an initiative organized by the Houston Zoo to ditch plastic straws and find more sustainable alternatives for customers who want to use a straw.

— greg morago, Houston Chronicle, "Houston Zoo partnering with local bars on new straw initiative," 13 July 2018
Last night, the actress hosted a summer dinner party in the luxurious, sustainable Wölffer Estate Vineyard in the Hamptons, with Vogue and Saks Fifth Avenue.

— sarah spellings, The Cut, "Talking With Priyanka Chopra on a Swing in the Hamptons," 13 July 2018
The Fed’s mandate from Congress is to maximize sustainable employment and ensure prices are stable, which the central bank defines as meeting a 2% inflation target.

— nick timiraos, WSJ, "Federal Reserve Report Defends Use of New Tools to Set Interest Rates," 13 July 2018
Eventually, the shops could create a sustainable market that would entice more private grocers to open stores in the area, Dills said.

— bailey loosemore, The Courier-Journal, "Dare to Care opens pop-up shop to address west Louisville food desert," 12 July 2018
Hamilton County Public Health took over the financially faltering mobile Cincinnati Exchange Project in January, adding sites and sustainable funding.

— terry demio, Cincinnati.com, "Living with HIV: Fueled by heroin, HIV makes an alarming resurgence in Cincinnati," 11 July 2018
The company did not include in its announcement any plans to replace the products with other sustainable materials. 8.

— erin corbett, Fortune, "These 8 Companies Are Ditching Plastic Straws. Here’s How They Are Replacing Them," 11 July 2018
The surveillance program also emphasizes local community engagement and aims to support a sustainable health infrastructure informed by their discoveries.

— katherine j. wu, Smithsonian, "A Never-Before-Seen Virus Has Been Detected in Myanmar’s Bats," 11 July 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.