English Reference
adjective · noun · verb

sustaining

adj. · n. · v.
US /səˈsteɪnɪŋ/ UK /səstˈeɪnɪŋ/ sus·tain·ing

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.providing the strength, food, or support you need to keep going.

    adj.providing necessary support, nourishment, or maintenance of a state or process.

    Simple

    A sustaining breakfast of porridge and fruit helped him stay full until lunch.

    In context

    The community provided a sustaining network of emotional support for the family during the difficult months following the accident.

    Usage

    Often used to describe food, hope, or social systems that prevent failure or exhaustion.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced Formal

    n.the act or process of keeping something alive or continuing.

    n.the action or process of upholding, supporting, or maintaining a condition or entity.

    Simple

    The sustaining of these old traditions is very important to the local people.

    In context

    The long-term sustaining of the ecosystem requires a delicate balance between human intervention and natural processes.

    Usage

    Functions as a gerund; often followed by the preposition 'of'.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate

    v.the -ing form of 'sustain', used to show an ongoing action of supporting or suffering.

    v.the present participle of 'sustain', used in continuous tenses or as a participial adjective to indicate ongoing maintenance or the experiencing of injury.

    Simple

    The company is sustaining heavy losses this year due to the poor economy.

    In context

    By sustaining a high level of pressure throughout the match, the team eventually forced their opponents into a critical defensive error.

Usage sustaining a serious

He missed much of the 2024-25 campaign after sustaining a serious knee injury, and parts of last season were disrupted by a hamstring issue.

BBC News· 16 Aug 2026

Former boxer Prichard Colon has died at the age of 33, 11 years after sustaining life-changing brain injuries in the ring.

Al Jazeera· 14 Aug 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated