maintain - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
maintain Word Meanings
- to keep something in a certain state
- to continue or preserve something over time
- to assert or affirm something
maintain Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
maintain Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/meɪnˈteɪn/
US
/meɪnˈteɪn/
maintain Word Etymology
Main- = hand, tain- = hold; derived from Latin 'manu tenere' meaning 'to hold in the hand'. Imagine a hand holding onto a rope, symbolizing the act of keeping or preserving something. This extends to keeping relationships, possessions, or duties.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I tighten my grip and move my feet, trying to maintain a steady pace as I navigate a crowded street. I shift my weight, adjust my steps, and hold my breath just enough to keep the moment from wobbling. It feels like steering a small boat through noise, a constant push and pull that asks me to decide rather than rush. By the time I reach a calm corner, that same effort lives on in daily tasks, helping me keep things in balance.
Real Context
Maintain means to keep something in a desired state, to continue or preserve it over time, and to assert or affirm something when you defend a point. It often involves regular effort, monitoring, and care: you maintain a car with service, maintain relationships through communication, and maintain a policy by enforcing it consistently. It contrasts with 'sustain' in that maintain emphasizes ongoing control over a specific condition, while 'preserve' focuses more on protecting from damage. Learners should note common collocations: maintain + appearance, maintain + standards, maintain + equipment, and maintain + health.
Usage Reminders
- - Learn common collocations: maintain + appearance, standards, equipment, health, relationships, data quality.
- - Use active voice to describe ongoing care or control.
- - Distinguish maintain from sustain (ongoing power) and preserve (protect from damage).
- - Prefer maintain when you actively manage a state over time.
- - Check whether the object is tangible (car, data) or abstract (standards, policies).
Common Misconceptions
- Confusing maintain with sustain; maintain is about ongoing control of a state, sustain is about enduring under stress.
- Thinking maintain can replace 'keep' in all contexts; some contexts need 'keep' or 'hold'.
- Mistaking 'maintain' as a one-time action; it often requires continuous effort.
- Using maintain for passive states when a noun is a condition, not an action.
- Pronunciation: misplacing stress; it's /meɪnˈteɪn/.
Thinking Differences
Maintain in English often stresses ongoing, active management of a state or condition, and is used with both tangible objects and abstract concepts. Learners sometimes treat it as a simple synonym for 'keep' or 'hold', but it carries a nuance of regular care and monitoring.
Learning Tips
- Learn common collocations: maintain + appearance, standards, equipment, health, relationships, data quality.
- Compare maintain with sustain and preserve to capture subtle differences.
- Practice describing ongoing care, not just one-off actions.
- Use active voice: 'We maintain the system' instead of passive forms when appropriate.
- Pay attention to whether the object is concrete (equipment) or abstract (standards).
- Practice pronunciation: /meɪnˈteɪn/ with the emphasis on the second syllable.
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 2: Usage
Which sentence uses 'maintain' correctly?
A.I maintain to go to school early.
B.The storm helped maintain the flowers in the garden.
C.She maintain the broken vase.
D.He maintain to finish his dinner.
Step 3: Similar Words
Which word is most similar to 'maintain'?
A.Repair
B.Alter
C.Sustain
D.Abandon
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is the opposite of 'maintain'?
A.Protect
B.Enhance
C.Neglect
D.Renew
Step 5: Mastery
Can you give an example of a real-life scenario of 'maintain'?
A.The car broke down and needed to be fixed.
B.Jenny struggles to keep her plants healthy and maintain their growth.
C.The team won the game and celebrated their victory.
D.He decided to redecorate his room with new furniture.
Related Listening
🔥 Advanced
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