maintaining

verb

present participle of maintain
1
as in preserving
to keep in good condition he repairs and maintains antique cars as a hobby

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2
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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3
as in keeping
to pay the living expenses of we simply cannot afford to maintain a horse

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4
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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5
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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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 The president’s statement comes after Vice President JD Vance said last week that the administration has two goals in the war, including maintaining the flow of oil and gas from Gulf countries. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026 Israel’s current government and much of its political class view the West Bank as the biblical and historical homeland of the Jewish people and see the settlements as key to maintaining security. — Joseph Krauss, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026 Minaj has become an outspoken supporter of the president after previously maintaining a more independent political persona. — Kiara Moore, The Washington Examiner, 16 Aug. 2026 The latter is critical in preventing pockets of pooling water, maintaining a taut outer skin that doesn't flap around in the wind, and keeping the rainfly from sticking to the inner tent and leading to interior moisture. — New Atlas, 16 Aug. 2026 Couples have prenups for many reasons, but much of it comes down to discussing financial goals, avoiding additional legal work in a divorce, maintaining control over financial outcomes and avoiding a state's default divorce laws. — Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 16 Aug. 2026 My point here is that science communication to the public requires a compromise on messaging while maintaining integrity. — Marshall Shepherd, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026 Cleora is instead testing whether autonomous construction systems can be integrated into a functioning community while maintaining architectural variety and controlling costs. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026 As families settle into back-to-school schedules, office commutes and busier routines, maintaining consistent feeding habits for pets can become more challenging. — Kasey Caminiti, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maintaining
  1. preserving
  2. defending
  3. keeping
  4. arguing
  5. insisting
  6. conserving
  7. justifying
  8. supporting
Verb
  • The Living New Deal -- a nonprofit and non-partisan organization dedicated to preserving the history of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's series of economic, social and political reforms -- is raising concerns about the race.
    — Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The state should lead the next chapter of hemp policy by encouraging federal lawmakers to strengthen national standards while preserving successful state regulatory systems, particularly the one Connecticut has already demonstrated can work.
    — John R. Gordon, Hartford Courant, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of preserving
Verb
  • Over the past several years, South Korea has emerged as a world-class military power – not quite on the level of the US or China, but certainly capable of defending itself against North Korea.
    — Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • To flip control of the Senate, where Republicans currently hold 53 seats, Democrats would have to win four seats while defending a handful of their own.
    — Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of defending
Verb
  • Hairstylist Justine Marjan also suggests keeping curly-coily hair slightly wet with water to help with detangling and pulling it back with a wide-tooth comb.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Beijing is a source of crucial economic support for Iran but has walked a cautious diplomatic line amid the US-Iran war, keeping communications open with players on both sides.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of keeping
Verb
  • The students are challenging those actions in federal court, arguing that FIU's policy – and its application to their silent demonstration – violates their First Amendment rights.
    — Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • On Monday, prosecutors submitted a six-page pleading to the judge arguing against restricting the accuser's testimony.
    — John Lynch, Arkansas Online, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of arguing
Verb
  • The Prussian within us wants to force everything into the open, insisting that anyone with nothing to hide should be willing to put everything on display.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Instead, airlines are insisting on custom designs to stand out.
    — Edward Russell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of insisting
Verb
  • The hotel’s environmental commitment includes conserving resources through their rainwater collection irrigation system as well as water flow restrictors installed in all showers, toilets, and sinks.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Ayala Land is shoring up funds and conserving capital amid a weakness in the residential property market as the ongoing Iran war has tempered consumer spending and slowed economic growth.
    — Ian Sayson, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of conserving
Verb
  • Only medical reasons can be used in justifying concurrent surrogacy, and a qualified physician must attest to them in writing.
    — Arthur L. Caplan, STAT, 18 Aug. 2026
  • So what can Apple offer to convince buyers not to pick up the cheaper Galaxy Z Fold 8, while justifying the extra cost?
    — Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of justifying
Verb
  • The remaining counts were split between supporting the lifting of the ban and undecided.
    — Brittney Ermon, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Twenty-seven percent showed indifference, however, possibly demonstrating that most voters would be fine supporting them in a general election, said Christian Grose, a political science professor at the University of Southern California.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of supporting

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Cite this Entry

“Maintaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maintaining. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of maintaining for Spanish Speakers

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