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

Russia has turned to North Korea and Iran for sustenance, while Ukraine has turned to the West. —David Brennan, ABC News, 19 June 2025

There are predators on the island; animals are eaten for sustenance. —Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2025

The relationship these defenders had with the river runs deep—not only in terms of sustenance, but also the collective knowledge of her cycles and moods going back generations. —Bridget Crocker june 6, Literary Hub, 6 June 2025

Tortoises were the perfect sustenance—and not just because they could be kept alive onboard a ship for a year or more without food or water. —Kevin Gepford, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Apr. 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