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
Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Colbert converted from safety to linebacker last season and excelled on special teams before sustaining a season-ending injury in the second half of the year.
—Omar Kelly
may 1, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
In addition, the gains stand to complicate policy decisions for the Federal Reserve, as officials seek to keep inflation in check while sustaining employment.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
While sustaining the ruse for months, Ale arranged with an expectant young mother who didn’t want her child to take that woman’s newborn as her own.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026
Police said the victim in the stabbing underwent an emergency surgery after sustaining multiple stab wounds.
—CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Over Your Dead Body knows that sustaining a harmonious union amid petty jealousies, paranoia, and personal flaws is hard; navigating a hostage situation involving desperate sickos and sociopaths is even harder; and maintaining a balance of laughs and gag-reflex tweaking is the hardest of it all.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2026
Training a large language model means thousands of GPUs running simultaneously, sustaining enormous power draws for days or weeks, then dropping off sharply.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
The preliminary investigation also found that the most severe damage was concentrated at the front of the aircraft, with the cockpit and forward cabin sustaining significant structural destruction.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 23 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
Four people were listed in critical condition and two suffered minor injuries after sustaining stab wounds or cuts, a spokeswoman for the Tacoma Fire Department said earlier on Thursday, AP reported.
—Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Colbert converted from safety to linebacker last season and excelled on special teams before sustaining a season-ending injury in the second half of the year.
—Omar Kelly
may 1, Miami Herald, 1 May 2026
In addition, the gains stand to complicate policy decisions for the Federal Reserve, as officials seek to keep inflation in check while sustaining employment.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
While sustaining the ruse for months, Ale arranged with an expectant young mother who didn’t want her child to take that woman’s newborn as her own.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2026
Police said the victim in the stabbing underwent an emergency surgery after sustaining multiple stab wounds.
—CBS News, 29 Apr. 2026
Over Your Dead Body knows that sustaining a harmonious union amid petty jealousies, paranoia, and personal flaws is hard; navigating a hostage situation involving desperate sickos and sociopaths is even harder; and maintaining a balance of laughs and gag-reflex tweaking is the hardest of it all.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 24 Apr. 2026
Training a large language model means thousands of GPUs running simultaneously, sustaining enormous power draws for days or weeks, then dropping off sharply.
—Tejasri Gururaj, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
The preliminary investigation also found that the most severe damage was concentrated at the front of the aircraft, with the cockpit and forward cabin sustaining significant structural destruction.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sustaining
Noun
-
Many fans came to show their support for the third-year forward, whom the Sky traded to the Dream on April 6 for two future first-round draft picks.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Her son receives special services for a disability at Lake Center Elementary, and home routines are harder without this support.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What happened after the birth has captivated more than 27 million viewers on Instagram and drawn attention to a striking example of cross-species nurturing behavior that any animal lover will want to understand.—
Hanna Wickes,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Around that time, Mildred began nurturing the young Dean’s artistic skills.—
Katie Schultz,
Architectural Digest,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Ash Afanan, an analyst in LAHSA’s system and planning department who spoke in a personal capacity, said Friday staff are experiencing widespread fear following the layoff announcement.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
When Elias Manolis started experiencing extreme fatigue early last year, his parents were alarmed, but not surprised.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But this district — with seven elementary and two middle schools — is enduring a crippling strike, affecting about 3,400 students drawn from Santa Fe Springs and parts of Norwalk and Downey.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Earlier in the day, Charles delivered a rare address to a joint session of Congress, highlighting the second day of his four-day state visit and placing the spotlight on the strained but enduring relationship between his country and the United States.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Snitker was emotional, thanking Ronnie for supporting him in this career for all these decades.—
Gabriel Burns,
AJC.com,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Investors bought tech stocks viewed as supporting the AI infrastructure buildout and dumping those seen as threatened by its adoption.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At the core of the story is the certainty that revenge, while occasionally satisfying on a gut level, is corrosive to the soul and not, in fact, a reliable way to meet lifelong pals.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2026
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In a competitive market, where streamers continue to invest in originals, commercial networks are strong and imports rate well, the result was satisfying for NRK.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Butina, who, at thirty-six, was undergoing cancer treatment, had a thirteen-year-old daughter and a seventeen-month-old son.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The 76ers again were missing star center Joel Embiid, who has not played since undergoing an emergency appendectomy on April 9.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Investors aren't tolerating that anymore.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
9 Apr. 2026
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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 2 May. 2026.
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