The bridge couldn't sustain the force of the strong current and collapsed.
Source: tatoeba (18981)
Sustain
/səˈsteɪn/
Synonyms for "sustain" (379 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (76)
abideabide withadmitadvocateaffirmafford supportallege in supportallowanswerapproveargue forassertattestauthenticateauthorizebackback upbe exposed tobe subjected tobear
Show 45 more words
bear outbear upbear up underbear withbeef upbefriendbideboardbolsterbolster upbracebrace upbravebreadbrookbuoybuoy upbuttresscare forcarrycarry oncase hardencertifychampioncherishcircumstantiatecoddleconfirmconservecontend forcontinuecontinue to becopyrightcorroboratecossetcountercradlecrutchcultivatecushiondefeat timedefenddefy timedigestdine
Verb(5 words)
Adjective(2 words)
civilizational flourishingconserved resource
Strong matches (114)
documentdry nursedry-nursedwellencounterendorseendureenergizeentertainespouseexistexperienceextendfavorfeedfeelfinancefloatfloat highfodder
Show 53 more words
fondleforagefortifyfosterfoundfuelfundgirdgive supportgogo ongo throughgrassgratifygrazegroundguardhang inhang in therehang toughhardenhaveholdhold onhold outhold upinvigoratejustifykeepkeep afloatkeep alivekeep goingkeep intactkeep inviolatekeep onkeep safekeep upknowlabor underlastlast longlast outlavish care onlend supportlengthenlivelive onlive throughluglumplump itmainstaymaintain
Noun(15 words)
Verb(23 words)
environmentalizeenvironmentalize designfedfueledgetgreenedhaveheldhelpholdhold upincurincurredincurringkeepkeep current focuskeep upkeepsmaintainmaintain continuity
Show 3 more words
maintain dynamic stabilitymaintain emphasismaintain financial stability
Adjective(3 words)
essential service provisiongreen networkintact team
Related words (189)
Verb(29 words)
maintain narrative coherencemaintain natural lookmaintain supportabilitymaintain team chemistrymaintain team spiritmaintainedmaintaining status quomaintainsmaintains status quonourishnourish populationsnourishednourishesnursednurtureperpetuatedperpetuatespreserve biodiversitypreserve lifeprolong
Noun(28 words)
maintain weekly patternmaintain wire tensionmaintainingmaintenancemore keptnourishperpetuatingpersistpersistenceplanksplant carespoweringpreservepreserve errorpropped upsufferingsupplysupportsupport ecosystemssupporting services
Show 8 more words
make a pleameatmeetmeet up withmeet withmessmothernervenot destroynot endangernot expendnot use upnot wastenourishnursenurturenutrifypackpamperpass through
Show 110 more words
pasturepatentpayperdureperennateperpetuateperseverepersistpersist inpillowplead forpreserveprevailprobateprolongpropprop upprotectprotractproveprovisionput up withratifyrebutreceiverecognizerefreshrefuteregaleregisterreinforcereinvigorateremainreplyrespondrestrengthenretainride highriposterunrun onrun up againstsanctionsatisfysavesay in defenseseeshoreshore upshouldersparespeak forspeak up forspendspoon feedspoon-feedstabilizestandstand bystand forstand understand up forstaystay onsteelstickstick up forstiffenstomachstrengthensubsidizesubsistsubstantiatesubventionsubventionizesucklesuffersupportsurvivetake up withtarrytastetempertide overtoleratetotetoughenunderbraceundergirdundergounderlieunderpinundersetupbearupholdupkeepupliftupraiseurge reasons forvalidateverifywaftwarrantwearwear wellweatherwet nursewet-nursewine and dinewithstand
Adjective(2 words)
supporting evidencesustainable practice
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: abide, abide with, admit, advocate, affirm.
- Sentence evidence is available for sustain, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, wordnet, derived_reverse, opengloss, 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 "sustain".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "sustain"
Keep "sustain" 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 "sustain" 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 "sustain", 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 "sustain" 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
25 entriesacknowledgeactadmitbear oncarry oncatercontinueexperiencegethavehave gotholdmaintenancemovemusical attributeply
Showing 16 of 25 words.
More specific
18 entriesShowing 16 of 18 words.
Collocations
12 entriesInflections
3 entriesDerivations
5 entriessimilar
1 entriesSample sentences
26 total sentences available.
Heavy posts are needed to sustain this bridge.
Source: tatoeba (59648)
I sustain my family.
Source: tatoeba (246652)
Time and space are one body, mind and things sustain each other.
Source: tatoeba (969529)
Showing 4 of 26 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "sustain"?
Closest matches include abide, abide with, admit, advocate, affirm.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "sustain"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.