Definition of sustenancenext
as in food
something that maintains or stimulates the intellect my only sustenance on the long flight was a trashy novel I'd bought in the airport

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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 sustenance The animal’s body was no longer treated as a source of sustenance or knowledge, but rather as a prop for amusement. Sam Zeveloff, STAT, 9 May 2026 In the eight years since, pure defiance has become sustenance. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 8 May 2026 Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees love its nectar, and overwintering birds gather sustenance from the flower heads' seeds. Ann Hinga Klein, Martha Stewart, 7 May 2026 In this conceptual system, there is also an equivalence between the duties of various tribes—defense, sustenance, healing—and the overall balance of nature, in which each animal plays its part. Glenn Adamson, Artforum, 2 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for sustenance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sustenance
Noun
  • Our food director Chris Morocco is spectacular at this exact category.
    Emma Laperruque, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 May 2026
  • When Thomson went through a difficult divorce, in 2014, Djena would often check in on her, showing up at her door with food.
    Yudhijit Bhattacharjee, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Noun
  • Finger food at Farol, the duplex bar and cafe shaped like a lighthouse by the pool, is an easy way to lure the kids out of the pool or waves for nourishment.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 May 2026
  • The group of kittens wouldn't survive long without a surrogate mother to provide care and nourishment.
    Staff Author, PEOPLE, 9 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sustenance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sustenance. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

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