Synonyms of sustains

sustains

verb

present tense third-person singular of sustain

1

as in nurtures

to supply with nourishment

a granola bar should sustain you long enough to last until lunch

Synonyms & Similar Words

• nurtures
• satisfies
• nourishes
• feeds
• satiates
• fills
• replenishes
• suckles
• fortifies
• strengthens
• caters
• sates
• cloys
• provisions
• surfeits
• boards
• nurses
• victuals

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

• undergoes
• experiences
• has
• endures
• sees
• feels
• knows
• suffers
• witnesses
• goes through
• receives
• tastes
• passes
• encounters
• accepts
• meets
• assimilates
• digests

3

as in endures

to put up with (something painful or difficult)

I won't sustain such insolence!

Synonyms & Similar Words

• endures
• tolerates
• stands
• accepts
• takes
• handles
• absorbs
• bears
• supports
• meets
• abides
• wears
• swallows
• stands for
• sticks out
• lives with
• brooks
• suffers
• lumps (it)
• countenances
• bides
• goes
• pockets
• stomachs
• allows
• sweats out
• hacks
• permits
• toughs it out
• respects
• acquiesces
• reconciles (to)
• yields (to)
• agrees (with or to)
• capitulates
• submits (to)
• consents (to)
• assents (to)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• refuses
• rejects
• dismisses
• declines
• opposes
• resists
• repudiates
• spurns
• avoids
• escapes
• turns down
• fights
• combats
• misses
• evades
• eludes
• bypasses
• contests
• circumvents
• dodges
• refrains (from)
• abstains (from)
• forbears

4

as in supports

to hold up or serve as a foundation for

that old chair won't sustain your weight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• supports
• carries
• bolsters
• stays
• upholds
• underpins
• undergirds
• bears
• underlies
• shores (up)
• buttresses
• braces
• steadies
• props (up)
• trusses

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sustains

As a genre that sustains narrative variety and experimentation through cutting-edge style, horror almost certainly produces more than any one fan has time to find, let alone watch. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026

Something that died but will not stay dead, that sustains itself by feeding on the living and destroying them in turn. — Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026

Those rights include a political inclusivity that sustains democracies. — The Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2026

Her work reflects a deep commitment to standing with the people whose labor sustains communities across California. — The Sacramento Bee Staff, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

The lake creates a temperate microclimate that sustains one of the country’s most productive fruit-growing regions—and makes this the best possible place to forget a packed lunch. — Mike Norton, Midwest Living, 26 Sep. 2026

The drifting middle needs a benefits program that sustains engagement and addresses shifting behaviors over time. — Neepa Patel, Forbes.com, 24 Sep. 2026

The Ellis-Beauregard Foundation provides resources and support for artists, engages with the community, and sustains the legacy of its founding artists, Joan Beauregard and David Ellis. — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026

Overnight oats have more protein, which aids muscle repair and sustains energy levels. — Sohaib Imtiaz, Verywell Health, 9 Sep. 2026