sustains

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

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2
as in undergoes
to come to a knowledge of (something) by living through it sustained serious injuries in the car crash

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3
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 The new model sustains its focus for 30 hours, topping Anthropic Opus 4’s seven-hour runtime. Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2025 Replacing wind and solar with gas, coal and nuclear power means reliable, affordable electricity that supports and sustains industries and employment. Craig Rucker, Boston Herald, 26 Sep. 2025 In this worldview, there is no continuity to the presidency, no semi-permanent culture, no ivy plant that sustains through three generations and a dozen presidencies. Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 25 Sep. 2025 The team models professional pathways, adapts curriculum for sensory and developmental differences, sustains an active parent club, and engages alumni as volunteers and mentors. Maria Williams, USA Today, 23 Sep. 2025 John Stuart Mill argued that diversity of opinion sustains democracy. Eric Markowitz, Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025 Just like caring for soil ensures a future harvest, designing giving to flow through daily business habits ensures impact that compounds and sustains itself. Christopher Marquis, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025 There’s not much at stake, just free speech, the oxygen that sustains life in this town. Dan Gilroy, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2025 Kyle Isbel sustains injury In the third inning, the Royals pulled center fielder Kyle Isbel from the game. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sustains
Verb
  • Getting creative with my style nurtures the confidence that empowers me to show up in the world authentically.
    Essence, Essence, 24 Sep. 2025
  • The vegan lip treatment delivers intense moisture via a peptide that smoothes and plumps, as well as hyaluronic acid that nurtures dry skin.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Each case undergoes thorough discovery and courtroom preparation.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Compared to green tea, white tea undergoes minimal processing, so higher levels of catechins and polyphenols are preserved.
    Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Given the country’s proximity to the equator, the paddock endures hot and humid conditions when the September race arrives.
    Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Consider that a testament to the movie itself, which, nearly a century on, endures for its seamless blend of gothic storytelling, immersive stagecraft, and subversive comedy.
    Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Screambox supports three simultaneous streams, which is about average.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Letizia says his dispensary in Menomonee Falls supports regulating hemp, including requiring testing products and setting a statewide age restriction.
    Gina Lee Castro, jsonline.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • As part of a plea agreement, prosecution was deferred on an additional charge for menacing so long as White commits no new violations over the next two years and satisfies a number of conditions, including issuing a public apology to the victim, Adam Weatherford.
    Josh Wood, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Having made her name with The Best Man, Scary Movie, and Ally McBeal, this new, different note satisfies Hall’s longtime dream of working with Anderson.
    Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Part of this is taking each individual menopause side effect a woman experiences into consideration and treating them one by one.
    Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The photographer experiences a similar sense of comfort when entering Chinatowns for the first time — even in cities he’s never visited before.
    Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • For such a popular restaurant, Matsuri tolerates a lot of flies, unwashed walls and substandard handwashing, as detailed in a Miami Herald story this week on last week’s inspection.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Despite the tree’s association with ponds, bald cypress tolerates a range of growing conditions, from somewhat dry soils to standing water.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Each of the transportation for prostitution charges carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, meaning Combs could technically face up to 20 years, though his actual sentence is expected to be much lighter.
    Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2025
  • And momentum is what carries you from one success to the next.
    Sinéad O'Sullivan, CNBC, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sustains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sustains. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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