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- pronunciation:
- s
steIn
- features:
- Word Combinations (verb), Word Parts
| part of speech: |
transitive verb |
| inflections: |
sustains, sustaining, sustained |
| definition 1: |
to provide with the basic necessities of life.
They don't earn enough money from these jobs to sustain themselves and their families.
- synonyms:
- support
- similar words:
- care for, foster, maintain, nourish, nurse, nurture, provide for, take care of, tend
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| definition 2: |
to keep (something) going or existing.
Continued donations sustained the project.I could no longer sustain my interest in the conversation.
- synonyms:
- maintain
- similar words:
- carry, continue, nourish, preserve, prolong
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| definition 3: |
to support.
Donations sustain the work of our charity.- synonyms:
- support
- similar words:
- bankroll, buttress, finance, fortify, fund, maintain, nourish, subsidize, take care of, underwrite
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| definition 4: |
to keep up the spirits of; encourage.
He sustained her through the crisis.- synonyms:
- encourage, hearten, support
- similar words:
- bolster, buck up, buoy up, buttress, fortify, inspirit
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| definition 5: |
to endure.
I refuse to sustain this unfair treatment any longer.- synonyms:
- bear, endure, undergo
- similar words:
- abide, brave, brook, support, survive, tolerate, weather, withstand
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| definition 6: |
to suffer (loss or damage); undergo.
He sustained injuries to his neck and spine.The town sustained a great amount of damage during the storm.- synonyms:
- suffer, undergo
- similar words:
- experience, receive
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| definition 7: |
to uphold the validity or correctness of.
The judge sustained the objection by the defense.- similar words:
- authorize, ratify, sanction, warrant
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| definition 8: |
to confirm; prove; corroborate.
The evidence will sustain my opinion.- synonyms:
- confirm, corroborate, prove, validate, verify
- similar words:
- authenticate, certify, establish, fortify, justify, ratify, substantiate, vindicate
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| related words: |
abet, affirm, assist, back, comfort, console, defend, demonstrate, endorse, feed, fortify, gird, keep, mind, prove, secure, see, stand, suffer, undergo, uphold, validate |
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| derivations: |
sustainable (adj.), sustainingly (adv.), sustainment (n.) |
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