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 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 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
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.
    Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 12 June 2026
  • The song references having a safe space to express yourself and that is what Pride represents - a community that protects and nurtures its own.
    Daniela Avila, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • Carrier air wings can be reassigned quickly if one carrier undergoes maintenance or if operational priorities change.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 4 July 2026
  • Instead, after a patient provides a medical history and undergoes a physical exam, MRIs are deployed to confirm or rule out diseases or conditions as part of a proper differential diagnosis.
    Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • This endures, despite the equally entrenched Hottentot Venus trope of the hypersexualized Black female.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 4 July 2026
  • Times change and empires crumble, yet the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest endures.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • Update a profile photo or choose one small habit that supports your body and mood.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2026
  • Tulloss said his organization supports creating a pathway to citizenship for the city’s undocumented immigrants.
    Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Verb
  • Other cities are fighting lawsuits from developers who say their Live Local projects were rejected in violation of the law’s provisions, which require local authorities to grant approval if a proposal satisfies certain conditions.
    Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 1 July 2026
  • That agreement should spell out the settlement amount, the payment deadline and provide explicit confirmation that the payment satisfies the debt in full.
    Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Verb
  • One in six people globally now experiences loneliness, with social isolation contributing to more than 871,000 premature deaths every year.
    Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
  • In the meantime, drink lots of fluids and rest as your body experiences the digestive symptoms.
    Irene Wright, USA Today, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • Our constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.
    Tom Campbell, Oc Register, 4 July 2026
  • 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.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • But Kimball House’s award-winning bar program more than carries its own weight.
    Blair Crosby, AJC.com, 5 July 2026
  • Tianwen-2 carries both a touch-and-go sampling system and an anchor-and-attach mechanism equipped with drills for collecting surface material.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sustains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sustains. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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