sustenance - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
sustenance Word Meanings
- food and drink that sustains life
- nourishment
- support or maintenance of something
sustenance Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
sustenance Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/ˈsʌstənəns/
US
/ˈsʌstə nəns/
sustenance Word Etymology
From sustinere: sub- (under) + tenere (to hold). Latin → Old French → English. Imagine a tree's roots holding it firmly under the soil, providing sustenance.
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 InputReal Context
Sustenance refers to what keeps a living being alive: food and drink that provide the energy and nutrients needed to survive. In broader uses, it can mean nourishment or support that keeps something going, such as the sustenance of a family through stable income or the sustenance of a tradition through careful preservation. This word has a formal, sometimes literary tone and is more common in discussions of health, diet, or long-term stability than in casual conversation about snacks. It emphasizes a foundational resource rather than a luxury, and it is often used to convey resilience, growth, and the essentials of living rather than mere appetite.
Usage Reminders
- Use sustenance to refer to what keeps people alive: food and drink.
- It can also mean nourishment or support for something broader.
- The tone is formal or literary, not casual.
- Often appears in discussions of health, diet, or long-term stability.
- Not a verb; common collocations include nutritional sustenance and the sustenance of life.
Common Misconceptions
- It only means food, not nourishment or support
- It is a casual everyday word, not formal
- It refers only to meals, not long-term stability
- It can be used as a verb
- It is always countable
Thinking Differences
In English, sustenance is a formal noun about essential nourishment or support; many learners confuse it with casual food talk or mistake it for a verb.
Learning Tips
- Learn common collocations: sustenance of life, nutritional sustenance
- Distinguish sustenance from sustain (verb) and sustainable (adj)
- Use in formal writing and health-related contexts
- Practice with translations of abstract uses (culture, tradition)
- Note that sustenance is usually uncountable
- Avoid casual snack-related contexts
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What is the meaning of 'sustenance'?
A.A tool
B.A happy feeling
C.Food or drink
D.A type of clothing
Step 2: Usage
Which of the following sentences uses 'sustenance' correctly?
A.I wore my favorite shirt for sustenance.
B.She relied on her phone as sustenance.
C.He drank water for sustenance.
D.The book provided sustenance for her sadness.
Step 3: Similar Words
What is a synonym for 'sustenance'?
A.Hunger
B.Pain
C.Thirst
D.Nourishment
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is an antonym for 'sustenance'?
A.Hunger
B.Luxury
C.Drought
D.Weakness
Step 5: Mastery
In what real-life context would someone seek sustenance?
A.While sleeping
B.During an earthquake
C.At a feast
D.While reading a book
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