sustain

1 of 2

verb

sus·​tain sə-ˈstān How to pronounce sustain (audio)
sustained; sustaining; sustains

transitive verb

1
: to give support or relief to
2
: to supply with sustenance : nourish
3
4
: to support the weight of : prop
also : to carry or withstand (a weight or pressure)
5
: to buoy up
sustained by hope
6
a
: to bear up under
b
: suffer, undergo
sustained heavy losses
7
a
: to support as true, legal, or just
b
: to allow or admit as valid
the court sustained the motion
8
: to support by adequate proof : confirm
testimony that sustains our contention
sustainedly
sə-ˈstā-nəd-lē How to pronounce sustain (audio)
-ˈstānd-lē
adverb
sustainer noun

sustain

2 of 2

noun

: a musical effect that prolongs a note's resonance
utilizing heavy sustain on his guitarBill Dahl

Did you know?

The word sustain is both handy and hardy. Its use has been sustained since the days of Middle English (its ultimate source is Latin sus-, meaning "up," plus tenēre, meaning "to hold") by its utility across a variety of consequential subjects, from environmental protections to legal proceedings to medical reports. The word is so prevalent and so varied in its application, in fact, that it enjoys sustained high ranking as one of our top lookups—evidence of our readers’ sustained commitment to, well, sustaining themselves with information about words.

Examples of sustain in a Sentence

Verb Hope sustained us during that difficult time. The roof, unable to sustain the weight of all the snow, collapsed. The army sustained heavy losses. He sustained serious injuries in the accident.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Established juniors then mentor new joiners to sustain the culture. Agur Jõgi, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 The Taco Boy's location has sustained water and smoke damage. Olivia Rose, The Arizona Republic, 21 Oct. 2024
Noun
The real tell will be how 9-1-1 sustains this audience moving forward. Katie Campione, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2024 Its power, instead, comes from the dissonance between the terrifying condition of waiting for answers and the flights of imagination that this purgatory, paradoxically, sustains. Walt Hunter, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sustain 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sustain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English sustenen, from Anglo-French sustein-, stem of sustenir, from Latin sustinēre to hold up, sustain, from sub-, sus- up + tenēre to hold — more at sub-, thin

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1972, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sustain was in the 13th century

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Dictionary Entries Near sustain

Cite this Entry

“Sustain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sustain. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

sustain

verb
sus·​tain
sə-ˈstān
1
: to give support or relief to
2
: to supply with nourishment
food sustains our bodies
3
: to keep up : prolong
a book that will sustain your interest
4
: to support the weight of : carry
5
: to keep up the spirits of
hope sustained the people
6
a
: to bear up under : endure
b
: experience entry 2, undergo
sustained a serious wound
7
a
: to support as true, legal, or just
b
: to allow or admit as right
the court sustained the motion
8
sustainable
-ˈstā-nə-bəl
adjective
sustainer noun

Legal Definition

sustain

transitive verb
sus·​tain sə-ˈstān How to pronounce sustain (audio)
1
: to support as true, legal, or just
2
: to allow or uphold as valid
sustain an objection
compare overrule sense 1
sustainable adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on sustain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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