sustainable
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.able to continue at the same level or rate for a long time.
adj.capable of being maintained or continued at a certain rate or level.
Simple“The company's rapid growth was not sustainable because they didn't have enough staff.”
In context“Economists warned that the current level of consumer debt is not sustainable and could lead to a market correction.”
Usagefrequently used in business and economics to describe growth or spending
Teacher's tipIn academic writing, this sense refers to the logic or viability of a system rather than just the environment.
- 02 C1 Advanced
n.a source of energy that is renewable, like wind or solar power.
n.a renewable energy source or a product derived from sustainable practices.
Simple“The government is investing more money into sustainables like wind and solar power.”
In context“The transition from coal to sustainables requires significant infrastructure investment and a complete overhaul of the national grid.”
Usageusually used in the plural form 'sustainables'
Teacher's tipThis noun use is relatively recent and mostly found in technical or policy-related discussions about energy.
SynonymsAntonymsfossil fuel
Usage sustainable ways · sustainable alternatives
From sustain + -able.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.