maintain

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as in to keep
to pay the living expenses of we simply cannot afford to maintain a horse

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb maintain differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of maintain are assert, defend, justify, and vindicate. While all these words mean "to uphold as true, right, just, or reasonable," maintain stresses firmness of conviction.

steadfastly maintained his innocence

When would assert be a good substitute for maintain?

Although the words assert and maintain have much in common, assert suggests determination to make others accept one's claim.

asserted her rights

When could defend be used to replace maintain?

In some situations, the words defend and maintain are roughly equivalent. However, defend implies maintaining in the face of attack or criticism.

defended his voting record

When is it sensible to use justify instead of maintain?

The words justify and maintain can be used in similar contexts, but justify implies showing to be true, just, or valid by appeal to a standard or to precedent.

the action was used to justify military intervention

In what contexts can vindicate take the place of maintain?

The meanings of vindicate and maintain largely overlap; however, vindicate implies successfully defending.

his success vindicated our faith in him

Examples of maintain in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web But Wardle maintained that the expansion of commercial gambling poses a threat. Randi Richardson, NBC News, 24 Oct. 2024 Republican National Committee spokeswoman Anna Kelly also noted that Harris and President Joe Biden have maintained, and in some cases boosted, many of the tariffs from Trump’s first term in office. Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2024 Ukraine has maintained a foothold in Kursk of about 786 square kilometers (300 square miles), according to the latest assessment by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a think tank in Washington, DC. Lauren Kent, CNN, 12 Oct. 2024 Instead of expressing their genuine concerns or desires, individuals may focus more on maintaining emotional parity with their partner. Mark Travers, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for maintain 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maintain
Verb
  • At this point, there was a real chance that Cole would get out of the inning unscathed, preserving the Yankees’ 5-0 lead.
    Dan Freedman, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
  • Situated between Lansing and Detroit, Livingston County at least partially preserves its rural beginnings, despite continuous growth.
    Sonja Krohn and Siddhi Choubey, Detroit Free Press, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The outcomes of these proceedings are currently uncertain, and the company is defending these cases vigorously.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
  • Sanchez — who campaigned for office in 2022 on a platform of reforming the county’s troubled jail amid scores of in-custody deaths over the last decade — defended the deputies in her memo.
    Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Start shopping the retailer's sale and clearance section now, and keep your eyes peeled for more.
    Annie Blackman, Allure, 24 Oct. 2024
  • The judge didn't make a decision yet on whether Giuliani will be allowed to keep a Palm Beach, Florida, condominium and World Series rings that his son claims his father gave him.
    Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Whitehouse, the senator who requested the report, is using the findings to argue for higher tax rates on the wealthiest Americans, echoing the Harris platform.
    Daniel de Visé, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024
  • Catch up quick: The FTC argued the merger would reduce head-to-head competition in the U.S. handbag market and enable them to raise prices for consumers.
    Kimberly Chin, Axios, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Despite Jesse Palmer’s suspicions, Jonathan insists he’s never done a striptease professionally.
    Alice Burton, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Speaking at the China International Import Expo (CIIE), an annual showcase trade show in financial hub Shanghai, Li insisted China was committed to opening up further to foreign investment.
    Chris Morris, Fortune Asia, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • The female spiders, depending on species, typically conserve their energy and remain at their spun homes, waiting on the males to come to them.
    Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
  • Trees ultimately drop their leaves to conserve energy, prevent water loss, stockpile nutrients and protect themselves from frost damage and winter storms.
    Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 23 Oct. 2024
Verb
  • Traders have been betting for months that a Trump victory could enhance the value of Truth Social — though justifying its current price tag would be very difficult even if Trump is back in the White House.
    Matt Egan, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
  • The fact that its nuclear warheads are so close to Ukraine could, in fact, tempt Russia to conduct a false-flag operation on its own storage sites in order to justify a nuclear attack.
    William M. Moon, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • Some residents also expressed reluctance to support the measure, citing the already high cost of living as their main deterrent.
    Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 8 Nov. 2024
  • Harris introduced an Opportunity Agenda for Black Men, outlining what her administration would do to support that voting constituency that seemed movable.
    Curtis Bunn, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near maintain

Cite this Entry

“Maintain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maintain. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on maintain

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