What does "self-sustaining" mean?
Able to provide for one's own needs without help from others; self-sufficient.
Self-sustaining
adj
adj ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Able to provide for one's own needs without help from others; self-sufficient.
- Grammar: self-sustaining is listed as adj.
- Nearest alternatives: autotrophic plants, independent, self feeder, self sufficiency.
- Useful contrasts: propped.
- Usage evidence: It seems that Elon Musk is wondering why the Japanese are not firing rockets into space as crazily, and as frequently, as his SpaceX. My guess is that the Japanese are waiting for better technology, waiting until there is a better time (maybe now is too early), waiting for lower costs, or waiting for a big war (inevitable for some) that would shake global politics and destroy the status quo. There are proponents of teleportation, as Michio Kaku, a Japanese-American physicist, futurologist, and writer. The Japanese do not have the same "now, now, now" culture as the Americans. Their "now" culture comes from the mindfulness of the present moment, Zen, unlike American. Many Japanese like also futurology, which has become a religion on its own, there. Elon Musk and others may think that safe teleportation may be a long, long time from now, if ever. In the interim period until such technology would arise, sophisticated rockets may be the only way to get to another planet. Elon Musk has been correct many times, judging from his material and financial successes. (He has admitted that maybe a self-sustaining society on Mars and a "multiplanetary" human civilization would probably arise after his own lifetime.) Americans like "brute force," but maybe it is not the Japanese way. The Japanese have a much longer view of time than do the Americans. They believe in spirits everywhere in nature (Animism) that Americans maybe do not sense.
How to use "self-sustaining"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "self-sustaining" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "self-sustaining" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "self-sustaining" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "self-sustaining" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "self-sustaining" is acting as adj in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "autotrophic plants" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "self-sustaining", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Able to provide for one's own needs without help from others; self-sufficient.
"There was nothing odd, or futuristic, or exotically “eco” about the house — no solar panels to be seen, no giant arrays of thermopane windows passively drinking up light and heat; yet here, I’d been told, in the Sourland Mountains in New Jersey, an hour from Manhattan, was a house that had the potential — not long from now, not 20 years from now, but maybe within 5 to 10 years — to help turn millions of American homes into fully self-sustaining power plants, each one capable of producing hydrogen to fuel cars as well."
- 2 Able to provide for one's own needs without help from others; self-sufficient.; Able to sustain itself without the need for additional fuel.
- 3 Opposing or rejecting exterior influence; independent.
Adjective
- 1 able to provide for your own needs without help from others wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"It seems that Elon Musk is wondering why the Japanese are not firing rockets into space as crazily, and as frequently, as his SpaceX. My guess is that the Japanese are waiting for better technology, waiting until there is a better time (maybe now is too early), waiting for lower costs, or waiting for a big war (inevitable for some) that would shake global politics and destroy the status quo. There are proponents of teleportation, as Michio Kaku, a Japanese-American physicist, futurologist, and writer. The Japanese do not have the same "now, now, now" culture as the Americans. Their "now" culture comes from the mindfulness of the present moment, Zen, unlike American. Many Japanese like also futurology, which has become a religion on its own, there. Elon Musk and others may think that safe teleportation may be a long, long time from now, if ever. In the interim period until such technology would arise, sophisticated rockets may be the only way to get to another planet. Elon Musk has been correct many times, judging from his material and financial successes. (He has admitted that maybe a self-sustaining society on Mars and a "multiplanetary" human civilization would probably arise after his own lifetime.) Americans like "brute force," but maybe it is not the Japanese way. The Japanese have a much longer view of time than do the Americans. They believe in spirits everywhere in nature (Animism) that Americans maybe do not sense."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "self-sustaining"?
Common synonyms include: autotrophic plants, independent, self feeder, self sufficiency, self-sufficient, self-sufficing.
How do you use "self-sustaining" in a sentence?
It seems that Elon Musk is wondering why the Japanese are not firing rockets into space as crazily, and as frequently, as his SpaceX. My guess is that the Japanese are waiting for better technology, waiting until there is a better time (maybe now is too early), waiting for lower costs, or waiting for a big war (inevitable for some) that would shake global politics and destroy the status quo. There are proponents of teleportation, as Michio Kaku, a Japanese-American physicist, futurologist, and writer. The Japanese do not have the same "now, now, now" culture as the Americans. Their "now" culture comes from the mindfulness of the present moment, Zen, unlike American. Many Japanese like also futurology, which has become a religion on its own, there. Elon Musk and others may think that safe teleportation may be a long, long time from now, if ever. In the interim period until such technology would arise, sophisticated rockets may be the only way to get to another planet. Elon Musk has been correct many times, judging from his material and financial successes. (He has admitted that maybe a self-sustaining society on Mars and a "multiplanetary" human civilization would probably arise after his own lifetime.) Americans like "brute force," but maybe it is not the Japanese way. The Japanese have a much longer view of time than do the Americans. They believe in spirits everywhere in nature (Animism) that Americans maybe do not sense.
Etymology
From self- + sustaining.