sustained

adjective

sus·​tained sə-ˈstānd 

: 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

Examples of sustained in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

People with richer, more sustained social connections literally age more slowly at the cellular level. —Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2025

With maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, the system is moving to the north-northwest at 15 mph. —Miami Herald Hurricane Bot, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2025

High wind watches have been issued for southern Delaware, coastal New Jersey and Long Island from Sunday morning through the overnight hours into Monday for sustained winds of 20 to 30 mph and up to 60 mph gusts. —Kyle Reiman, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2025

No one sustained life-threatening injuries, but minors were among those injured, Goteborgs-Posten reported, citing police spokesperson Tobias Ahlén-Svalbro. —Latoya Gayle, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1775, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sustained

• self-sustained
• sustained-release
• sustained yield

Rhymes for sustained

• appertained
• ascertained
• entertained
• overstrained
• preordained
• unconstrained
• unexplained
• unrestrained
• abstained
• arraigned
• attained
• bloodstained