MAINTAINING Synonyms: 138 Similar and Opposite Words

maintaining

verb

present participle of maintain

as in preserving

to keep in good condition he repairs and maintains antique cars as a hobby

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in defending

to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections part of debating is learning to maintain your position in the face of harsh challenges

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in keeping

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

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as in arguing

to state (something) as a reason in support of or against something under consideration she continued to maintain that a sewing machine would end up paying for itself since she could make her own clothes

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as in insisting

to state as a fact usually forcefully he maintains that there is indeed hard evidence for extraterrestrial visitors

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of maintaining Developing and maintaining them can also require substantial investment in sensors, computing infrastructure, software integration, and specialized expertise. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 8 Nov. 2026 Now King Ghidorah is back once again in Godzilla Minus Zero, maintaining his extraterrestrial origin story and once again challenging Godzilla to an epic kaiju battle. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 8 Nov. 2026 With the new maps, the percentage of Black voters in the district dropped from nearly half of the district's population to 40%, maintaining strong representation. — Connor Greene, Time, 8 Nov. 2026 Unlike traditional memory foam beds, the PurpleFlex features a two-inch GelFlex Grid designed to relieve pressure while maintaining a supportive, responsive feel. — Jacorey Moon, Architectural Digest, 7 Nov. 2026 Speaking on Dallas radio’s The Ticket, Troy Aikman chided Bruin fans who are maintaining their recent tradition of avoiding the Rose Bowl. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026 His buildings gradually became part of systems that sustained ways of living, working, making, encountering, maintaining. — Julian Rose, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026 Wright shared the following habits as most important for maintaining independence outside of a nursing home. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026 Reconciling competing visions of reality depends on continuously normalizing disparate vendor inputs into a unified GTM data model, scoring source reliability, assessing recency and maintaining complete lineage tracking. — Filip Popovic, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for maintaining

Verb

Over time, even the material making up the bones and teeth ought to have dissolved away and been replaced by minerals from the surrounding rock, preserving little more than the bone’s architecture.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Nov. 2026
Refrigeration systems play a critical role in preserving perishable inventory throughout supermarket supply chains.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of preserving

Verb

Lawmakers and school districts have raised concerns over federal agents' presence outside schools or near school bus stops, with the federal government frequently defending its actions.

— Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2026
The county paid about $112 million in settlements defending the department in the 2024-25 fiscal year alone.

— Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of defending

Verb

Your skeleton has a demanding day job, pumping out fresh new blood cells and serving as a mineral bank for calcium, not to mention keeping your head up and preventing your organs from collapsing into a disappointing puddle.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
Like Bob Pollard, another classic-rock surrealist, the 43-year-old Hollywell is making the most of a surprise middle-aged career breakthrough by keeping the tape rolling in his home studio at all hours.

— Stuart Berman, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of keeping

Verb

Wisconsin Democrats have failed on multiple occasions to petition the Wisconsin Supreme Court to grant a redraw of the maps, arguing that the current map unfairly favors Republicans.

— Ramsey Touchberry, The Washington Examiner, 5 Nov. 2026
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has repeatedly questioned whether women should serve in ground combat and special operations roles, arguing that their inclusion could undermine military effectiveness and physical standards.

— James LaPorta, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of arguing

Verb

But the monthslong dispute has devolved into a battle of competing narratives, with residents accusing ComEd of dishonesty and the utility insisting their critics misunderstand the project.

— Lila Hempel-Edgers, Chicago Tribune, 9 Nov. 2026
The kitchen has been remodeled with the owners insisting on it meeting the highest standards for design excellence, craftsmanship, and ease of use.

— James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 8 Nov. 2026

Definition of insisting

Verb

By conserving insects, people are not just conserving the insects themselves but also supporting the many species, including humans, that depend on them.

— Chris Elphick, The Conversation, 6 Nov. 2026
The natural criteria consider exceptional natural beauty, significant stages in the Earth’s geological history, ongoing ecological and biological processes, and habitats important for conserving biodiversity.

— Karina Acharya, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of conserving

Verb

Students can, and should, ask themselves at what point the additional health benefits stop justifying the costs in time and money.

— John Alexander, Popular Science, 1 Nov. 2026
The centerpiece of the policy originally was his use of a 1977 law to declare America's longstanding trade deficits a national emergency, justifying double-digit tariffs on almost every country on Earth.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of justifying

Verb

There’s also evidence supporting some non-drug treatments for hot flashes, night sweats and sleep or mood problems, ACOG said.

— Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
Stanley said drivers and bus monitors play an especially important role in supporting students with disabilities, including those who use wheelchairs.

— Jamal Goss, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of supporting

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maintaining

maintains

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“Maintaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maintaining. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of maintaining

verb

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