sustain - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
sustain Word Meanings
- to support or uphold
- to maintain for a long period
- to continue existing or functioning
sustain Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
sustain Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/səˈsteɪn/
US
/səˈsteɪn/
sustain Word Etymology
sustain = sus- (from below) + tain (to hold) → Latin 'sustinere' (to hold up, support) → English. Imagine holding up a heavy object from below to keep it stable.
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 press my palm against a mug and move it along the counter, watching it settle into place. A steady rhythm grows as things shift around me, and I feel a small power to sustain the moment. I adjust my grip, keep the pace, and let the effort hold the whole scene together. By the end of the little routine, the day feels less like a sprint and more like something I can keep going.
Real Context
Sustain is a verb that covers keeping something in existence or functioning over time. It can mean to support or uphold a system, to maintain for a long period despite challenges, and to continue existing or operating. In everyday use you might sustain a friendship by regular contact, sustain a garden by careful watering, or sustain a performance by steady concentration. The idea carries endurance rather than a one-time action, emphasizing ongoing effort, resource management, and resilience in difficult conditions. Learners should note the subtle differences from verbs like support, maintain, continue, and last, especially regarding duration and agency.
Usage Reminders
- Keep it long-term, not a one-off action. Use with nouns that can last or endure. Pair with adverbs like continuously, steadily, or over time. Consider the resources and effort required. Distinguish from 'support' and 'maintain' in nuance and duration.
Common Misconceptions
- Sustain = a one-time act of support
- Maintain = exactly the same as sustain in every context
- Ignore duration; sudden actions fit sustain
- Confuse with 'sustainability' as a noun only
- Use with every object even when not durable
Thinking Differences
For English speakers, sustain often centers on long-running effort and resilience, with clear ties to duration and ongoing workload.
Learning Tips
- Link sustain to long timelines and resources
- Compare with maintain, continue, and last
- Practice with abstract nouns (sustainability, endurance)
- Use adverbs to show duration (over time, steadily, continuously)
- Identify the agent causing the sustain (person, system, policy)
- Read longer texts to see endurance contexts
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What is the meaning of the word 'sustain'?
A.Stop
B.Continue
C.Expand
D.Reduce
Step 2: Usage
How is the word 'sustain' used in a sentence?
A.She sustained a serious injury
B.They sustained a successful business
C.He sustained his energy levels
D.We sustained a failure
Step 3: Similar Words
Which word is similar to 'sustain'?
A.Increase
B.Destroy
C.Maintain
D.Disappear
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is the opposite of 'sustain'?
A.Foster
B.Strengthen
C.Crumble
D.Thrive
Step 5: Mastery
In what real-life context would you need to sustain something?
A.Sustaining a healthy diet
B.Destroying a friendship
C.Neglecting household chores
D.Giving up on a dream
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