Word
sustain
Phoneticssus·tain, stress on the second syllable
US/səˈsteɪn/
UK/səstˈeɪn/
Definitions
01to maintain
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
v. to keep something going or continuing for a long time.
v. to maintain or keep something in existence over a prolonged period. Transitive; often used in environmental or economic contexts.
日本語:保つ※
“The company found it difficult to sustain such high levels of growth.”
“The ecosystem can no longer sustain the current rate of resource extraction without risking total collapse.”
Antonyms
02to support life
B2 · Upper Intermediate Science
v. to provide the food, water, or energy needed to stay alive.
v. to provide for or nourish a living thing; to supply the necessities of life.
日本語:支える※
“There is not enough oxygen on the planet to sustain human life.”
“The small oasis provides just enough water and vegetation to sustain the local wildlife during the harshest months of the dry season.”
Antonyms
03to suffer an injury
C1 · Advanced Medicine Formal
v. to experience something bad, like an injury or a financial loss.
v. to experience, undergo, or suffer something adverse, typically an injury or a loss. Transitive; common in medical and legal reporting.
日本語:受ける※
“The driver sustained minor injuries in the car accident.”
“The business sustained significant financial losses during the first quarter due to the unexpected shift in global trade policies.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
04to uphold a claim
C1 · Advanced Law Formal · Technical
v. to agree that a legal objection or a claim is valid and correct.
v. to allow, accept, or admit a legal objection or motion as valid. Used by a judge in a courtroom setting.
“The judge said 'Sustained' after the lawyer made a valid objection.”
“The court chose to sustain the objection, ruling that the witness's testimony was based on hearsay rather than direct observation.”
05musical duration
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Music Technical
n. the way a musical note continues to sound instead of stopping quickly.
n. the quality of a musical note being held or maintained; also refers to the mechanism, such as a piano pedal, that enables this.
“The guitar has a beautiful sustain that lasts for several seconds.”
“The pianist used the sustain pedal to blend the chords together, creating a rich and atmospheric soundscape.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “sustain” in context.
Verb
01. sustain a serious injury
“The athlete had to withdraw from the competition after he sustained a serious injury during the warm-up.”
verb + adj + noun
02. sustain economic growth
“The government is implementing new policies to sustain economic growth over the next decade.”
verb + adj + noun
03. sustain heavy losses
“The company sustained heavy losses during the financial crisis and was forced to downsize.”
verb + adj + noun
04. sustain life on mars
“Scientists are investigating whether the planet's atmosphere can sustain life in its current state.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Noun
05. capacity to sustain growth
“Investors are questioning the startup's capacity to sustain growth without further venture capital.”
noun + infinitive
06. effort to sustain interest
“The teacher used interactive games in an effort to sustain interest throughout the long lecture.”
noun + infinitive
Adverb
07. adequately sustain the population
“Local farmers struggled to produce enough crops to adequately sustain the population during the drought.”
adv + verb + noun
08. barely sustain the momentum
“The team was exhausted and could barely sustain the momentum they had built in the first half.”
adv + verb + noun
Real-World Examples
“Social care should enable people to live independently, sustain relationships, take part in education and employment, and contribute to their communities.” “The novel taught me empathy, and that some relationships sustain us while others must be left behind.” Etymology
From Middle English susteinen, sustenen, from Old French sustenir (French soutenir), from Latin sustineō, sustinēre (“to uphold”), from sub- (“from below, up”) + teneō (“hold”, verb).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/sustain
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0