SUSTENANCES Synonyms: 10 Similar and Opposite Words

sustenance

noun

ˈsə-stə-nən(t)s

Definition of sustenance

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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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 As its bright youth flees, Bunck said Cuba is left with an aging and shrinking population fighting for sustenance and power. — Ruby Grisin, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Aug. 2026 But between navigating selective palates, food allergies, social media-worthy lunchbox inspiration, food noise, and the inevitable comparisons with classmates, striking a balance between sustenance and satisfaction can quickly become overwhelming. — Sierra Leone Starks, Parents, 10 Aug. 2026 Ponder will be charged with first-degree and second-degree child cruelty, and first-degree child cruelty - deprivation of necessary sustenance. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 Such a commission would become another bureaucracy that accomplishes little beyond self-sustenance. — Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sustenance

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sustenance

Noun

This would be particularly relevant in contested environments where drones can observe roads, locate logistics convoys and attack vehicles carrying ammunition, fuel, food and other essential supplies.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
Caffeine hits your bloodstream faster when there’s no food to slow it down, setting you up for a crash later, endocrinologists told Parade.

— Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of food

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sustains

sustenance

sustentation

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“Sustenance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sustenance. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of sustenance

noun

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