as in support
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in nurturing
to supply with nourishment
a granola bar should sustain you long enough to last until lunch
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in experiencing
to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it
sustained serious injuries in the car crash
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in enduring
to put up with (something painful or difficult)
I won't sustain such insolence!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in supporting
to hold up or serve as a foundation for
that old chair won't sustain your weight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sustaining
Robert Lea, Space.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Da Lin, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
The president’s decision to continue the blockade despite Iran’s announcement appeared aimed at sustaining pressure on Tehran as the fate of the two-week ceasefire reached last week remained uncertain.
—Melanie Lidman, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
The president’s decision to continue the blockade despite Iran’s announcement appeared aimed at sustaining pressure on Tehran as the fate of the two-week ceasefire reached last week remains uncertain.
—Kareem Chehayeb, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
The men were involved in a physical altercation, both sustaining head injuries.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Hunter, prior to sustaining a season-ending injury in practice heading into Week 9, played 67% of the team’s offensive snaps compared to 36% of defensive snaps.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Another is Jermod McCoy, a cornerback out of Tennessee who missed all of 2025 after sustaining an ACL tear more than a year ago (McCoy also had a 30 visit with the Panthers).
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2026
The study concluded with some recommendations, such as sustaining and expanding programs that work, engaging with with people who have experienced homelessness, identifying funding and supporting neighborhood safety and cleanliness.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2026
The Iranian supreme leader’s wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, died sometime after sustaining wounds from the airstrikes that killed her husband.
—Keely Bastow, The Washington Examiner, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
These molecules could serve as the building blocks of more complex organic molecules, which are vital in the development and sustaining of life.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
Porter said sustaining the progress will depend heavily on community involvement.
—Da Lin, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
The president’s decision to continue the blockade despite Iran’s announcement appeared aimed at sustaining pressure on Tehran as the fate of the two-week ceasefire reached last week remained uncertain.
—Melanie Lidman, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
The president’s decision to continue the blockade despite Iran’s announcement appeared aimed at sustaining pressure on Tehran as the fate of the two-week ceasefire reached last week remains uncertain.
—Kareem Chehayeb, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
The men were involved in a physical altercation, both sustaining head injuries.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Hunter, prior to sustaining a season-ending injury in practice heading into Week 9, played 67% of the team’s offensive snaps compared to 36% of defensive snaps.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Another is Jermod McCoy, a cornerback out of Tennessee who missed all of 2025 after sustaining an ACL tear more than a year ago (McCoy also had a 30 visit with the Panthers).
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 14 Apr. 2026
The study concluded with some recommendations, such as sustaining and expanding programs that work, engaging with with people who have experienced homelessness, identifying funding and supporting neighborhood safety and cleanliness.
—Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2026
The Iranian supreme leader’s wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, died sometime after sustaining wounds from the airstrikes that killed her husband.
—Keely Bastow, The Washington Examiner, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sustaining
Noun
-
The positions include 11 elementary school counselors, 17 exceptional service education counselors, 16 social workers, 21 clerical support assistants and 40 district management positions, according to a document provided by the school district.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
16 Apr. 2026
-
All of it goes to charities ranging from youth support services to cancer treatment.—
Brandon Truitt,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Since the conditions were still ripe, people started nurturing other grapes—Riesling, Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc—and in the ’80s, the area was designated an American Viticultural Area.—
Julia Sayers Gokhale,
Midwest Living,
16 Apr. 2026
-
This will also inevitably impact the wider creative industries ecosystem, given the BBC’s crucial anchor role in commissioning content and nurturing talent.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
About a decade ago, however, the city of New Orleans began experiencing accidents involving eighteen-wheelers with a frequency that was anomalous—and alarming.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
This small Buddhist kingdom in the eastern Himalayas between China and India is experiencing growth in tourism after opening to international visitors only 50 years ago.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In a publicity release, owner Mike Micallef summed up the Reata’s enduring legacy as a survivor of both a tornado and the buffeting winds of downtown business.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 Apr. 2026
-
An enduring legacy By the time Terry was a toddler in the early ’70s, Motown had begun its migration from Detroit to Los Angeles, aiming to strike Hollywood gold.—
Brian McCollum,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
All of the proceeds raised from the event went to supporting Altman's family.—
Victor Jacobo,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
By his third hosting gig in 2014, he was joined onstage during his monologue by Leonardo DiCaprio, his co-star in the searing satire The Wolf of Wall Street, a Martin Scorsese picture that netted Hill his second Oscar nomination for best supporting actor after Moneyball just three years earlier.—
Josh Spiegel,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
If Lowery takes just a little bit too long to get to the main event, the getting there is still satisfying enough thanks to his stars and their exceptional chemistry.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Serve these pitas with chips or fresh fruit for a satisfying meal.—
Phoebe Evans,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
From Cape Coral to Kansas City, America’s housing market is undergoing a historic reversion to the mean—and the data couldn’t be more striking.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The county has exempted the project from undergoing a state environmental review — a point of contention for many residents who are concerned about the health and environmental impacts.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Investors aren't tolerating that anymore.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
9 Apr. 2026
-
While all the common camellia species make a fine hedge, the species Camellia sasanqua has the advantage of tolerating both full sun and partial shade.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sustaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sustaining. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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