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

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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

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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 Beyond creating lifelong memories for families, the OC Fair is a key economic driver for the county that generates $109 million in wages and sustains nearly 2,200 jobs a year, according to an industry study released in May. Claire Wang, Oc Register, 13 July 2026 What sustains a relationship over years and decades is not the occasional spectacular gesture but a subtle, more repetitive pattern of behavior. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 Ruffian, racing on the lead, sustains a severe leg injury and is pulled up by jockey Jacinto Vasquez. Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026 Rubbed out by the day’s events, the kolams—an art form that sustains the diurnal rhythm of the universe—are faithfully recast the next morning. Chandrahas Choudhury, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 July 2026 Instead, Price opts for slow builds and gratifying payoffs, creating a tension that sustains the momentum of the record without getting lost in the details. Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 3 July 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sustains
Verb
  • An influential alcohol industry, which nurtures deep ties to lawmakers, charitable groups, and consumers, has kept a tight grip on regulation — at the expense of public health.
    Isabella Cueto, STAT, 14 July 2026
  • 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.
    Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 12 June 2026
Verb
  • Months later, the patient is involved in a car accident and undergoes another CT scan.
    Demetri Giannikopoulos, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Then, once the cell is exposed to sunlight, the additive undergoes a molecular transformation that enables it to bind tightly to the perovskite’s grain boundaries.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026
Verb
  • What endures isn’t a single chair, light fixture, or work of art.
    Oset Babür-Winter, Architectural Digest, 17 July 2026
  • At a period when Americans seem to agree on increasingly less, their trust in TIME endures.
    Sam Jacobs, Time, 14 July 2026
Verb
  • The American Friends of Magen David Adom supports Israel’s emergency services system, according to the organization’s website.
    Caroline Zimmerman July 17, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
  • February 19 – March 20 Home may need a reset that supports your nervous system, not just the room.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2026
Verb
  • What might come as a surprise, though, is the iPhone 17 family already actually satisfies EU rules.
    Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • When the two storylines collide, Nolan stages a clash of A-list titans that throws the director’s usual cerebral machinations aside and instead satisfies his audience with some good old-fashion bloodlust.
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 16 July 2026
Verb
  • Although the skies here are not as dark as in some rural parks, the north Antrim coastline still experiences relatively modest light pollution.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 15 July 2026
  • Pakistan experiences heavy monsoon rains every year and the downpours frequently trigger floods and landslides that cause deaths and widespread damage.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
Verb
  • Imagine what regions could accomplish if that weren't the exception the system tolerates, but the outcome it was designed to produce.
    Matt Gandal, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Our constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.
    Tom Campbell, Oc Register, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • The annual soccer schedule is already jam-packed, each additional 90 minutes carries more injury risk, and most of these players star on club teams whose seasons kick off in a month.
    Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 18 July 2026
  • Under California law, conviction on such a charge typically carries up to a year in county jail.
    Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 18 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sustains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sustains. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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