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
Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 10 June 2026
These graveyards form when whale carcasses fall to the sea floor, becoming a sustaining snack for nearby critters.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
Sanmartín, claimed off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason, was in competition for a spot on the Giants’ Opening Day roster before sustaining a right hip flexor strain during an exhibition game with Team Colombia ahead of the World Baseball Classic.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
Much like Chicxulub, large impacts on the Red Planet could have created similar underground hydrothermal systems capable of sustaining life long after surface conditions became hostile.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 10 June 2026
In addition to responding to public health emergencies and preventing disease, the CDC plays a vital role in sustaining the nation’s public health infrastructure.
—Candice Johnson, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Making horror is also just as difficult, especially sustaining it through an eight-hour TV show.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2026
Her hyperfocus on the leaf raises questions that extend far beyond the kitchen, inviting an inquiry into the banana plant’s movement across geographies and its role in sustaining cultural traditions.
—Sophia Rey, JSTOR Daily, 28 May 2026
Civic Preparation Should Be Built Into Campus Life This type of work—which is integral to sustaining democracy—should be built into campus-wide core programming, not as a single course or a solo opt-in non-curricular activity.
—Rajiv Vinnakota, Forbes.com, 28 May 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
Despite sustaining significant injuries, police said the couple was able to transport themselves to a local hospital.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 10 June 2026
These graveyards form when whale carcasses fall to the sea floor, becoming a sustaining snack for nearby critters.
—ABC News, 10 June 2026
Sanmartín, claimed off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason, was in competition for a spot on the Giants’ Opening Day roster before sustaining a right hip flexor strain during an exhibition game with Team Colombia ahead of the World Baseball Classic.
—Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 10 June 2026
Much like Chicxulub, large impacts on the Red Planet could have created similar underground hydrothermal systems capable of sustaining life long after surface conditions became hostile.
—Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 10 June 2026
In addition to responding to public health emergencies and preventing disease, the CDC plays a vital role in sustaining the nation’s public health infrastructure.
—Candice Johnson, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Making horror is also just as difficult, especially sustaining it through an eight-hour TV show.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 10 June 2026
Her hyperfocus on the leaf raises questions that extend far beyond the kitchen, inviting an inquiry into the banana plant’s movement across geographies and its role in sustaining cultural traditions.
—Sophia Rey, JSTOR Daily, 28 May 2026
Civic Preparation Should Be Built Into Campus Life This type of work—which is integral to sustaining democracy—should be built into campus-wide core programming, not as a single course or a solo opt-in non-curricular activity.
—Rajiv Vinnakota, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sustaining
Noun
-
In the immediate aftermath of the stabbing, Lang was responsible for organizing a protest in support of Metcalf.—
Shawna Mizelle,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
-
El Tri will have an edge competing at high altitude and with the support of home fans, but Mexico is winless in World Cup openers.—
Eduard Cauich,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The nurturing Moon enters your 6th House of Daily Routine, nudging you to set a clear calendar block that protects your focus.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
-
Modeling found her first and acting came later, after years of secretly nurturing ambitions inspired by European auteurs such as Andrei Tarkovsky, Luis Buñuel and Federico Fellini.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
More than 3/4 of the state is experiencing drought conditions ranging from moderate to exceptional.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
-
Eighteen players on Tony Popovic’s 26-man roster are experiencing their first World Cup cycle, leaving Australia to blend emerging attacking talent with the defensive structure that carried it through qualifying.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Interpretive exhibits, wind in the oak forests and eagles drifting below reveal the site’s enduring significance, while rangers and tribal partners share how these mounds remain living heritage, not relics.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
-
The 1939 film, which starred Garland as Dorothy Gale, recently found new life through The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, an immersive Las Vegas experience that opened in August and uses the facility's cutting-edge technology to place audiences inside the enduring story.—
Virginia Chamlee,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Let’s remember the wisdom of our leaders in supporting the humanitarian aid that gave people a chance to rebuild from the war.—
William Lambers,
Hartford Courant,
6 June 2026
-
Others are hemorrhaging money from divorce, supporting adult children or overextended on mortgage debt.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
6 June 2026
Verb
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The fiber content helps slow digestion and keeps the meal feeling satisfying for longer.—
Jennifer Klump,
Verywell Health,
11 June 2026
-
Mounted on an axis, the silver wheels with satisfying notches in them can be rotated, pushed side-to-side, and back-and-forth.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The selection marks one of the first major European defense programs to incorporate Schiebel’s newest heavy-lift unmanned helicopter platform, which has been undergoing flight testing and customer evaluations over the past two years.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
6 June 2026
-
In the study, patients taking the drug lived longer compared to those undergoing chemotherapy.—
Luzdelia Caballero,
CBS News,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
Cooperative games like Uno, Go Fish, Sorry, or Chutes and Ladders help kids practice taking turns and tolerating frustration in a low-stakes environment.—
Parents,
Parents,
30 May 2026
-
And unfortunately, organizations often unintentionally create environments that discourage exploration and human connection by implicitly or explicitly rewarding competition, tolerating destructive behavior from high performers, and suppressing emotional expression in the name of performance.—
Laurel Donnellan,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sustaining.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sustaining. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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