The bureaucrats maintain solid ties with the gigantic corporations.
Source: tatoeba (21081)
Maintain
/meɪnˈteɪn/
Synonyms for "maintain" (490 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (98)
Verb(25 words)
Noun(15 words)
Adjective(3 words)
Strong matches (147)
countercradlecrutchcultivatecushiondaresaydeclaredeemdefeat timedefenddefy timedonatedwellemphasizeendowendureenjoinentertainenunciateespouse
Show 74 more words
esteemestimateexistexpectexpressextendfancyfeedfight forfillfill upfinancefindfosterfundfurnishgivegive supportgo ongo treatguardguessharborhavehave a hunchhave an ideahave an impressionhave an inklinghave the ideaholdhold ashold inhold onhold outhold uphonorhusbandimagineinhibitinsistinsist oninsist uponinvestissue a manifestojudgejustifykeepkeep afloatkeep alivekeep goingkeep inkeep intactkeep inviolatekeep onkeep safekeep uplastlast longlast outlay downlend supportlengthenlivelive onlive throughlock inlook afterlook upon asmainstaymake a pleamake availablemake provision formanagemanifesto
Verb(21 words)
declaresdefenddefend orderdefend positionensureexertforeignizesheldholdhold constanthonor commitmentsincubatesinsistinsistedkeep colorkeep current focuskeep the samekeep upkeepskept
Show 1 more word
maintain team spirit
Adjective(5 words)
dental equipmentelastic energy conservingessential service provisionintact teamliving network
Noun(24 words)
drinking water qualitydykingenergy conserving principleenforcingequipment servicingevergreensgarden workerharborhold steadyholdingholdshost associated microbial networkinsistinginventory list spreadsheetinventory listingskeep plankeep the originalkeepingkept animallandscape preservation
Show 4 more words
Adverb(1 words)
forcefully argued case
Determiner(2 words)
more network servicemost kinetic energy conserving
Related words (245)
not destroynot endangernot expendnot use upnot wastenourishnurtureopinepatentpay the billperdureperennateperpetuatepersistpersist inpillowpleadplead forpredicateprepare
Show 114 more words
presentpreservepresspresumeprevailproclaimprofessprolongpronouncepropprop upprotectprotestprotractprovideprovide forpursueputput itrebutreckonrecruitrectifyrefuteregardregisterregulatereinforceremainreplenishreplyrepressrespondretainrightriposterunrun onsavesave upsaysay in defenseset downset down asset upshoreshore upshouldersparespeakspeak forspeak outspeak upspeak up forstandstand bystand drinksstand forstand onstand tostand treatstand up forstatestaystay onstickstick tostick up forstockstorestresssubmitsubsidizesubsistsubventionsubventionizesupplysupportsupposesuppresssurmisesurvivesuspectsustaintaketake care oftake fortake ittake no denialtarrytestifythinktide overtreattreat totrowunderbraceundergirdunderlieunderpinundersetupbearupholdupkeepurgeurge reasons forview asvindicatevouchsafewarrantwearwear wellweenyield
Verb(52 words)
observeopinedperpetuatedperpetuatespersistedpreserve artpreserve artifactspreserve biodiversitypreserve chemical samplepreserve formattingpreserve habitatspreserve heritagepreserve originalpreserve resourcespreserve status quopreservedpretendproclaimedproclaimsprofessed
Show 32 more words
protect informationprotect reputationprotectedregulate temperaturerepairretainretainedretainsretenersaidsaysserviceservicedstabilize concentrationstabilizesstandpatstay on coursestockpiledsustain growthsustain performancesustainedsustaining lifesustainstend the ecosystemthinksupholduphold a claimuphold civil orderuphold communal valuesupholdsvindicateswield
Noun(54 words)
opiningorganizing notebookperpetuatingpetplankplankspond ecosystem balancespreserve accuracypreserve errorpreserve foodpreserve formpreserved quantitiespreservespreservingprocess systempurportremain intactrememberingrepair irrigation networkretaining
Show 34 more words
safeguardsafeguardssayingschool gardeningservice capacityservice coalitionservice pond ecosystemsservice valueservicesservicingservicing capacitystabilizingstate authority documentsstate government agenciesstate language arts standardsstate of present momentstate of stasisstate the resultssticking to plansticksstore plant seedsstreaksupport ecosystemssupport native language usesustained lifesustainingsustains lifetreasuresuphold societal orderupholdingvindicatingvineyard tending taskswater feature practicewikis
Adjective(5 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: assert, keep, preserve, sustain, abide.
- Sentence evidence is available for maintain, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "maintain".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "maintain"
Keep "maintain" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "maintain" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "maintain", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "maintain" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
21 entriesShowing 16 of 21 words.
More specific
12 entriesCollocations
6 entrieshome maintenancemaintenance logmaintenance planmaintenance schedulepreventive maintenanceregular maintenance
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
3 entriesSample sentences
24 total sentences available.
We must maintain the amicable relations between Japan and the U.S.
Source: tatoeba (22779)
We build and maintain relationships with others.
Source: tatoeba (22835)
We should make every effort to maintain world peace.
Source: tatoeba (22870)
Showing 4 of 24 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "maintain"?
Closest matches include assert, keep, preserve, sustain, abide.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "maintain"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.