1
2
as in undergoes
to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it
sustained serious injuries in the car crash
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in endures
to put up with (something painful or difficult)
I won't sustain such insolence!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in supports
to hold up or serve as a foundation for
that old chair won't sustain your weight
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 sustains
That requires attacking the system that sustains Russian forces—not just the armies on the front lines.
—
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
What starts as a series that aims to subvert the heist genre at every turn – amped with thrilling life-or-death stakes, family dynamics, and explosive action – gives birth to an exploration of what drives us, sustains us, and ultimately destroys us.
—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
30 June 2026
The platform sustains itself through foreign exchange margins and standard transaction fees.
—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
30 June 2026
The addition of glycerin in Matkas’s serum sustains the formula’s quenching effects.
—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
21 June 2026
The push out of their respective comfort zones is sweaty, arduous, and, the series suggests, exactly the kind of exertion that sustains a relationship.
—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Pascale’s cello generally swoops and sustains while Katzmann’s saxophone jitters in search.
—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
11 June 2026
Health departments around the country are now grappling with sudden cuts to the federal funding that sustains their health data collection and health promotion activities.
—
Candice Johnson,
The Conversation,
10 June 2026
Feeding the orbs To test how LiPfe sustains itself, Jobson’s team exposed its explants to isotopically labeled amino acids and ammonium.
—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
What starts as a series that aims to subvert the heist genre at every turn – amped with thrilling life-or-death stakes, family dynamics, and explosive action – gives birth to an exploration of what drives us, sustains us, and ultimately destroys us.
—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
30 June 2026
The platform sustains itself through foreign exchange margins and standard transaction fees.
—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
30 June 2026
The addition of glycerin in Matkas’s serum sustains the formula’s quenching effects.
—
Sophie Wirt,
InStyle,
21 June 2026
The push out of their respective comfort zones is sweaty, arduous, and, the series suggests, exactly the kind of exertion that sustains a relationship.
—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
Pascale’s cello generally swoops and sustains while Katzmann’s saxophone jitters in search.
—
Emma Madden,
Pitchfork,
11 June 2026
Health departments around the country are now grappling with sudden cuts to the federal funding that sustains their health data collection and health promotion activities.
—
Candice Johnson,
The Conversation,
10 June 2026
Feeding the orbs To test how LiPfe sustains itself, Jobson’s team exposed its explants to isotopically labeled amino acids and ammonium.
—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sustains
Verb
-
The advent of artificial intelligence is giving a new shine to a liberal arts education, which career experts say nurtures the skills valued by employers as AI increasingly changes the workplace.
-
The song references having a safe space to express yourself and that is what Pride represents - a community that protects and nurtures its own.
Verb
-
The uranium used in nuclear fuel undergoes an enrichment process to increase the levels of the more radioactive U-235 form.
-
The trailer teases Aaron Taylor-Johnson as the titular creature, who undergoes an intense transformation that leaves the townspeople terrified.
Verb
-
This endures, despite the equally entrenched Hottentot Venus trope of the hypersexualized Black female.
-
Times change and empires crumble, yet the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest endures.
Verb
-
Update a profile photo or choose one small habit that supports your body and mood.
-
Tulloss said his organization supports creating a pathway to citizenship for the city’s undocumented immigrants.
Verb
-
That agreement should spell out the settlement amount, the payment deadline and provide explicit confirmation that the payment satisfies the debt in full.
-
By letting companies digitally tag and incorporate this general repository by reference, the SEC satisfies their legal cautionary obligations.
Verb
-
The patient experiences a system in which the doctor’s recommendation is not always enough.
-
The storms, Mekkhala and Higos, have dumped heavy rain and damaged roads as Japan experiences its annual rainy season.
Verb
-
Our constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.
-
This fuss-free group of plants tolerates challenging growing conditions, including heat, drought, and humidity and the gorgeous foliage is unbothered by deer and rabbits.
Verb
-
But Kimball House’s award-winning bar program more than carries its own weight.
-
Tianwen-2 carries both a touch-and-go sampling system and an anchor-and-attach mechanism equipped with drills for collecting surface material.
Cite this Entry
“Sustains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sustains. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
