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
  • Its archive preserves those disputes alongside bank statements and instructions for running the store.
    — Tara Knight, Bon Appetit Magazine, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The Little Changes Under the Skin The Ocarina of Time remake fantastically preserves the vibes of the original (and 3DS remake).
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of preserves
Verb
  • In an exclusive interview, Subramanyam defends his record on strong AI guardrails.
    — Benjamin Guggenheim, Washington Post, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Apart from being part of the Republican Party’s Victory ‘26 slate, Shaw was endorsed by Moms for Liberty, a parental rights advocacy group, and the California Rifle and Pistol Association, a nonprofit that defends gun rights.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of defends
Verb
  • For most healthy individuals, moderate egg consumption supports anti-inflammatory mechanisms.
    — Christopher Bergland, Verywell Health, 12 Nov. 2026
  • This helps reduce unexpected losses and supports better management of marine operations.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of supports
Verb
  • Akhtar argues that Spanish-speaking Muslims of Latin American descent are uniquely positioned to act as bridge-builders between Jewish and Muslim communities.
    — Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 13 Nov. 2026
  • The company argues that much of the opposition is based on wrong or insufficient information, and contends that its operation wouldn’t drain resources or damage the environment, but would produce a hefty tax revenue boost for Cromwell.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of argues
Verb
  • Brown, of Relativity, insists that adopting AI is a necessary move to maintain healthy peer-to-peer and global competition.
    — S. Sorrina Beecher, Chicago Tribune, 13 Nov. 2026
  • To our confoundment, the script insists that Gary, now retired, was the rare honest NYPD officer — and, weirder still, acts like that was obvious.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 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
  • Before enrolling, though, be sure to confirm that the potential discount justifies its cost.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026
  • This script justifies that lame happy ending with a clever idea about the radiation sickness that results from suffering a blast of the creature’s atomic breath.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of justifies
Verb
  • Coming back keeps hope alive for the Commanders (3-5-1), who moved two games back of the NFC East-leading Giants (5-3-1) and now own the tiebreaker after the teams tied last month.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Especially since the average national cost of a cheeseburger, fries and soda keeps creeping up.
    — Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of keeps

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maintains
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Cite this Entry

“Maintains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maintains. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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