sustenance

noun

sus·​te·​nance ˈsə-stə-nən(t)s 

1

a

: means of support, maintenance, or subsistence : living

b

: food, provisions

also : nourishment

2

a

: the act of sustaining : the state of being sustained

b

: a supplying or being supplied with the necessaries of life

3

: something that gives support, endurance, or strength

Synonyms

• aliment
• food
• nourishment
• pabulum

Examples of sustenance in a Sentence

Tree bark provides deer with sustenance in periods of drought.

The village depends on the sea for sustenance.

She draws spiritual sustenance from daily church attendance.

Recent Examples on the Web

Bears often search for sustenance in people’s yards in early spring and late fall by rummaging through garbage, chicken coops, and bird feeders. —Benjamin Alva Polley, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2025

The one meal a day from this charitable association has become their only lifeline – but the exhausting routine of hours spent standing in line for meager sustenance is pushing him and many others to the brink. —Jeremy Diamond and Abeer Salman, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025

In this city, food is more than just sustenance: Culture and identity are served on a plate. —Jasmine Browley, Essence, 15 Apr. 2025

Foods that are rich in fiber (think fruit, vegetables, and whole grains), as well as potatoes, bananas, and artichokes, are known to be desirable sustenance for probiotics in our systems. —Addy Bink, The Hill, 23 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from sustenir

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

sustenance

noun

sus·​te·​nance ˈsəs-tə-nən(t)s 

1

a

: means of support, maintenance, or existence

b

: nourishment sense 1

2

: the act of sustaining : the state of being sustained

especially : a supplying with the necessities of life

3

: something that gives support, help, or strength