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

An obsession for excellence is characterized by clarity about standards, allegiance to discipline, sustained commitment, and a tenacious reach for one's absolute optimum. —Chip Bell, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025

Part of this is a lack of scientific research on the effects of long, sustained chatbot conversations. —Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2025

The gun lobby uses this window of opportunity to step in and neutralize legislative action before sustained pressure builds. —John J. Donohue, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025

That may have been Winter’s intention — there’s also more than a whiff of the Coen brothers figuring into all the mordant mayhem — but the execution proves trickier to pull off for a sustained period. —Michael Rechtshaffen, HollywoodReporter, 12 Sep. 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