# maintenance

/ˈmeɪntənəns/ (US) · /mˈeɪntənəns/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/maintenance
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. upkeep of things

noun · CEFR B2

the work of keeping a building, machine, or system in good condition by checking or repairing it regularly.

For teachers: the process of preserving a condition or situation or the state of being preserved; specifically, the routine functional upkeep of property or equipment.

- The school was closed for a week for essential building maintenance.
- The airline's rigorous maintenance schedule ensures that every aircraft undergoes a thorough mechanical inspection after a set number of flight hours.

Usage: Often used as an uncountable noun or as an attributive noun before another word like 'crew' or 'costs'.

### 2. financial support

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Formal

money that someone pays regularly to help support a child or a former husband or wife after a divorce.

For teachers: financial provision made by one person for another, typically following the dissolution of a marriage or for the upbringing of a child.

- He has been paying monthly maintenance to his ex-wife since their divorce.
- The court ordered the defendant to provide substantial maintenance payments to ensure the children could remain in their current private school.

Teaching tip: In American English, 'alimony' is more common for a spouse, while 'child support' is used for children; 'maintenance' is the standard legal term in the UK.

### 3. biological process

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Academic

the natural processes that keep a living thing alive and healthy.

For teachers: the collection of metabolic processes required to keep an organism alive and functioning at a constant level.

- The body uses a lot of energy just for basic cell maintenance.
- Even during periods of inactivity, the organism requires a baseline caloric intake to support essential cellular maintenance and repair.

### 4. regular medication

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical · Dialect

medicine that a person takes every day to manage a long-term health condition.

For teachers: a course of medical treatment or medication intended to keep a chronic condition under control rather than to cure it.

- She takes her maintenance pills every morning to keep her blood pressure stable.
- The physician adjusted the maintenance dose of the insulin to better manage the patient's fluctuating glucose levels.

Teaching tip: This sense is particularly common in Philippine English as a colloquial way to refer to daily prescription drugs.

## Examples

- Regular maintenance keeps your car running smoothly for many years.
- The city council allocates a significant portion of its annual budget to the maintenance of public parks and roads.
- Preventative maintenance schedules are essential in industrial settings to mitigate the risk of catastrophic mechanical failure and ensure the long-term integrity of the production line.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.