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sustain

verb

sə-ˈstān How to pronounce sustain (audio)
Definition of sustainnext
1
as in to nurture
to supply with nourishment a granola bar should sustain you long enough to last until lunch

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2
as in to undergo
to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it sustained serious injuries in the car crash

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3
as in to endure
to put up with (something painful or difficult) I won't sustain such insolence!

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to carry
to hold up or serve as a foundation for that old chair won't sustain your weight

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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 sustain The driver sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was also transported to Maine Medical Center for evaluation. — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026 However, legal solutions aren’t enough without forward-looking policy and sustained accountability. — Susan Morrisey, STAT, 15 Sep. 2026 Fishing grounds that sustained families for generations now yield empty nets. — Sebastián López Brach, The Dial, 15 Sep. 2026 This tension, in addition to a widening trade imbalance between the two major BRICS countries, makes the trust needed for deeper financial integration hard to sustain. — Priyanka Salve,lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sustain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sustain
  1. nurture
  2. undergo
  3. endure
  4. carry
  5. satisfy
  6. experience
  7. tolerate
  8. support
Verb
  • Although security needs to be nurtured year-round, the High Holidays offer a timely reason to review these best practices and improve the habits that keep our organizations safe in the weeks ahead and throughout the year.
    — Richard Priem, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Steinem has encouraged generations to nurture their relationships and build community.
    — Sara Noelle Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of nurture
Verb
  • The battery cells manufactured within the pilot project are currently undergoing extensive operational testing.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2026
  • According to the Black Women’s Health Imperative, roughly 80% of Black women will develop fibroids by age 50, compared with about 70% of white women, and Black women are two to three times more likely to undergo a hysterectomy because of them.
    — As told to Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Glamour, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of undergo
Verb
  • Exploring the dialogue between Italy’s artisanal heritage and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, the event considers how the handmade endures in an era of rapid innovation.
    — Eleonora Giordani, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2026
  • That was a disquieting pointer to Federal Reserve Board policy, for the central bank counted controlling inflation, not enduring full employment, as one of its mandates.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of endure
Verb
  • That version would carry 10MJ electromagnetic armor and about five tonnes of advanced energy storage.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Authorities didn't comment on the drone's origin or purpose, saying further investigation was needed, but two senior officials said the device was likely carrying explosives.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of carry
Verb
  • To satisfy its voracity for billions of pages, Anthropic started out by placing mass orders with wholesalers, before turning to individual and secondhand booksellers to help fill in the gaps.
    — Francesca Mancino, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2026
  • There are other ways to provide enrichment, like rotating toys every day to stimulate exploration, using puzzle feeder dishes to satisfy hunting behaviors and playing videos for your cat showing birds or fish.
    — Emily Tarinelli, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of satisfy
Verb
  • Because the therapy is off-label, insurance routinely denies coverage, forcing clinicians and patients to improvise — a frustration that Dombo experienced firsthand.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The program is intended to minimize direct law enforcement interactions with residents experiencing a mental health crisis.
    — Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of experience
Verb
  • If tolerated, players can also attend team meetings and film study.
    — Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026
  • His warning was meant for American eyes and ears at least as much — if not more so — than for the government in Jerusalem that until now has encouraged the hoodlums by tolerating their violence.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of tolerate
Verb
  • Singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe and Danish band Lukas Graham, who had been expected to support Sheeran on upcoming North American dates, both withdrew from the tour.
    — Anna Tingley, Variety, 20 Sep. 2026
  • This November, Broward voters will decide whether to renew the one-mill property tax referendum that supports school safety, mental health services and employee compensation.
    — Roberto Fernandez III, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of support

Browse Nearby Words

suspiring
sustain
sustainable
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Cite this Entry

“Sustain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sustain. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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