Sustain is a verb with several related meanings. It can mean to continue or extend something, to sufferto go through an unpleasant event or condition or experience something, to support or provide for, to nourishto give what is needed for growth, health, or strength, or to upholdto support or defend as right or valid a claim or decision in formal use.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-11. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /səˈsteɪn/
Easy pronunciation: suh-STAYN (approximate spelling).
Stress: Stress is on the second syllable.
Primary sense: to supply with necessities and support.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-11. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Sustain Meaning
to support someone or something so it can continue
Part of speech: verb
Definition: supply with necessities and support
Example: She alone sustained her family during the hard winter.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- keep — Works in the sense of keeping someone going or supported.
- maintain — Works when the meaning is to keep something going or provided for.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-11. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Sustain
Meaning 2
to keep something going for longer
Part of speech: verb
Definition: lengthen or extend in duration or space
Example: They sustained the negotiations for another week.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- keep up — Works for continuing an activity or effort.
- prolong — Works when the meaning is to make something last longer.
Meaning 3
to suffer or receive
Part of speech: verb
Definition: undergo (as of injuries and illnesses)
Example: He sustained serious injuries in the crash.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- get — Can work in informal speech for injuries, but is less precise.
- have — Can work in some contexts, especially with injuries or problems.
- suffer — Works when the meaning is to experience harm or injury.
Meaning 4
to hold something up
Part of speech: verb
Definition: be the physical support of; carry the weight of
Example: The bridge must sustain the weight of heavy trucks.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- hold — Works when something is supporting weight.
- hold up — Works as a practical substitute for supporting weight.
- support — Works when the meaning is to carry the weight of something.
Meaning 5
to feed or nourish
Part of speech: verb
Definition: provide with nourishment
Example: The soup sustained them through the long journey.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- nourish — Works when the meaning is to feed and help live or grow.
- nurture — Works more for helping growth or development than for basic feeding.
Meaning 6
to support an idea, claim, or result with evidence
Part of speech: verb
Definition: establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts
Example: The new study sustains the theory.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- affirm — Can fit in formal contexts, but is not always a direct substitute.
- confirm — Works when evidence shows something is true.
- corroborate — Works when evidence supports a statement or claim.
- substantiate — Works in formal or legal contexts for proving support.
- support — Works when evidence backs up a claim.
Meaning 7
to officially accept a motion, objection, or legal argument
Part of speech: verb
Definition: admit as valid
Example: The court sustained the objection.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-11. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Sustain Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- keep
- maintain
- keep up
- prolong
to continue or extend
- keep up
- prolong
to suffer or receive an injury or illness
- suffer
- get
- have
to physically support weight
- hold
- hold up
- support
to feed or nourish
- nourish
- nurture
to back up with evidence
- affirm
- confirm
- corroborate
- substantiate
- support
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-11. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- Do not use sustain as a simple everyday synonym for 'survive' unless the context is about support, nourishment, or continued existence.
- Do not mix up sustain meaning 'support with evidence' with sustain meaning 'support physically' or 'provide for.'
- In legal English, sustain means to accept or uphold a motion, not just to support it generally.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-11. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does sustain mean in simple English?
It usually means to support something, keep something going, or make sure it continues. It can also mean to suffer an injury or to back up a claim with evidence.
What is the most common meaning of sustain?
The most common everyday meaning is to support or keep something going, especially in a practical sense.
What are common synonyms for sustain?
Common synonyms include keep, maintain, support, nourish, and confirm, depending on the sense.
Can sustain mean injure?
Yes. In formal or written English, sustain can mean to suffer or receive an injury or illness.
What does the court sustained the motion mean?
It means the court officially accepted the motion or agreed that it was valid.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: uncertain — manual review needed. Checked: 2026-10-11. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.