maintains

verb

present tense third-person singular of maintain
1
as in preserves
to keep in good condition he repairs and maintains antique cars as a hobby

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

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4
as in argues
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 insists
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 maintains Reebok is bringing Allen Iverson’s signature sneaker legacy into the modern performance basketball footwear conversation with a new Recoded upgrade that maintains the original look and feel of the classic Question Mid model. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 2 Nov. 2026 Seeed designs and manufactures the hardware, while TRMNL maintains the firmware, plugins, and hosted service. — ArsTechnica, 2 Nov. 2026 Bank of America maintains a Buy rating on the stock and a price target of $370. — Kif Leswing, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2026 The administration made the fiscally responsible decision to incorporate these proceeds into its supplemental pension payment as part of a balanced budget that also maintains funding for critical services and neighborhood investments. — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026 They’re tasked first with establishing a preservation easement, to ensure that any new owner maintains the house with oversight from Landmarks Illinois. — Web Behrens, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026 The government maintains its power through repression, while the country struggles to move forward. — Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026 Valadao, bolstered by donations from Republican political action committees, maintains a substantial fundraising advantage. — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2026 Holmes, meanwhile, maintains that money has never been her primary motivation. — Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maintains
  1. preserves
  2. defends
  3. supports
  4. argues
  5. insists
  6. conserves
  7. justifies
  8. keeps
Verb
  • In other photographs of Deckard, Vaughan preserves his stillness, his distance, and arch alienation played to perfection by Ford.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The agreement preserves Greenland’s autonomous territory status within the Kingdom of Denmark while expanding US military access.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of preserves
Verb
  • But Thomas chooses Vision’s side, and finally defends his dream-dad instead of blaming him.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Continue reading … HOLLYWOOD DIVIDE — 'Nobody Wants This' creator defends show after star accuses Israel of 'genocide'.
    — , FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of defends
Verb
  • The award supports development of its wider Frenzy engine family.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Connecticut For All, a progressive coalition of more than 60 faith, labor and other civic organizations, also supports this option.
    — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of supports
Verb
  • Founding Freedoms Law Center, which launched the challenge in April, argues that lawmakers failed to follow required procedures and that the ballot language is misleading.
    — Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The lawsuit argues the change violates the Administrative Procedure Act because it was adopted without explanation and the First Amendment, which protects lawyers' ability to advise people of their legal rights and seek prospective clients.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of argues
Verb
  • The star rocker then insists the lake name change was a diversion from a faltering presidency.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Even after those polls were released, Fazio still insists that the race is tight.
    — Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of insists
Verb
  • The intact leaf blanket also conserves moisture and prevents soil from drying out over the winter.
    — Manjot Kaur Sidhu, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026
  • In Boise, a growing number of people have turned to xeriscaping in recent years, which is a type of landscaping that conserves water by using native or drought-tolerant plants, according to previous Statesman reporting.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of conserves
Verb
  • Human Rights Watch did not seek to establish membership, noting that neither gang affiliation nor a criminal record justifies excessive force or an extrajudicial killing.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Building a new jail, the suit claims, doesn’t meet the legal test that justifies extended after-hours work, which are allowed only on (among other things) projects that are in the interest of public health and safety.
    — Curbed, Curbed, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of justifies
Verb
  • Despite the prevalent literary theme, the hotel keeps more glossy coffee table books than beach reads.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The album’s experimental bent is also what keeps the music from slipping into parody or, even worse, po-faced sincerity.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of keeps

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Cite this Entry

“Maintains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maintains. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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