sustains

VERB

keep up, maintain

Synonyms

STRONGEST

assist bolster buoy continue defend help nurse preserve save

STRONG

aid approve back bankroll bear befriend brace buttress carry comfort confirm convey endorse favor feed foster lug nourish nurture pack prolong prop protract ratify relieve supply support tote transfer transport uphold validate verify

WEAK

go for keep alive keep from falling keep going lend a hand provide for shore up stand by stick up for

Antonyms

STRONGEST

harm hinder hurt obstruct stop

STRONG

abbreviate condemn contradict deny deprive disagree disapprove discourage disprove hold ignore injure invalidate keep let down let go maintain neglect oppose refuse reject shorten starve take trouble veto weaken

WEAK

abstain discontinue halt

VERB

endure, experience

Synonyms

STRONGEST

feel have see suffer tolerate undergo withstand

STRONG

abide bear brook digest encounter go know stand stomach

WEAK

bear up under bear with hang in live with put up with stand up to take it

Antonyms

STRONGEST

disallow

STRONG

avoid evade misunderstand refuse reject shun stop surrender

WEAK

abstain discontinue halt

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Snowflake and Datadog have seen a reacceleration of revenue from AI. And so we have to see if that sustains, but that’s the best sign you could hope for,” he says.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

But unlike the tradwife with her gaggle of youngsters underfoot, the orangutan mother sustains this intense caretaking by spacing her kids seven or so years apart.

From Slate • May 10, 2026

The Tifani is just one vessel in the so-called shadow fleet that sustains Iran and its oil trade with China, its No. 1 customer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026

Every profile and attempt to “explain” him risks becoming part of the very feedback loop that sustains him.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

But this fact sustains me only in the way that, say, the prospect of heaven cheers a terminally ill person: it’s nice to know, but it isn’t much help from moment to moment.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich