Definition of sustained
: maintained at length without interruption or weakening : lasting, prolonged sustained winds providing sustained support sustained applause sustained flight They can run at sustained speeds of up to 19 mph for considerable distances, and usually only make short flights in order to escape danger or flush prey.— Marcy Scott This degenerative disorder is theoretically caused by excessive and sustained forces of compression.— Tracy A. Turner
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
- What is an earlier meaning of nice?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Anagram puzzles meet word search.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
Do you know these earlier meanings of words?
Take the quizWords of Snow and Ice Quiz
A selection of words from the chillier parts of t...
Take the quizSpell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quizSCRABBLE® Sprint
SCRABBLE® fans, sharpen your skills!
Play the game
Share sustained
Time Traveler for sustained
The first known use of sustained was in 1775
See more words from the same year