sustainable

adjective

sus·​tain·​able sə-ˈstā-nə-bəl 

1

: capable of being sustained

sustainable growth

a sustainable business model

And the ratings spike did not prove sustainable for the rest of the evening.

—Brian Steinberg

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

The study reflects a broadening search for more climate-friendly sustainable protein sources.

—Ashley Miznazi

b

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

a sustainable society

a sustainable future

… the most sustainable garment is one that already exists.

—Angela Velasquez

sustainability

sə-ˌstā-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

… several boards throughout the state that focus on green building and sustainability.

—Melissa Followell

sustainably

sə-ˈstā-nə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms of sustainable

• justifiable

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 on the Web

The method, created by a group from Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea, provides full solvent recovery for producing sustainable materials while improving electron and ion transit and lithium storage capacity. —Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2025

And this model of access, dependent on negotiation and renegotiation and repeated discussions about individual items, is neither sustainable nor capable of delivering aid at the scale that is needed. —Anna Halford, Time, 25 Oct. 2025

Align your tasks with your values, so your workload feels more purposeful and sustainable. —Usa Today, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025

Doble uses innovative sustainable materials including seaweed, cactus leather, deadstock and recycled textiles. —Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sustainable

• trainable
• ascertainable
• unattainable
• unexplainable
• unobtainable
• unsustainable
• attainable
• explainable
• maintainable
• obtainable