Maintain
Maintain verb - To keep in good condition.
Usage example: he repairs and maintains antique cars as a hobby
Sustain is a synonym for maintain in keep topic. In some cases you can use "Sustain" instead a verb "Maintain", when it comes to topics like continue, hold, nurture, nourish. popular alternative
Sustain
Sustain verb - Supply with necessities and support.
Usage example: She alone sustained her family
Maintain is a synonym for sustain in keep topic. You can use "Maintain" instead a verb "Sustain", if it concerns topics such as hold, nourish, persevere, continue. popular alternative
Nearby Word: sustaining
Mutual synonyms
Common collocations
| connection | maintain connection | sustain connection |
| power | maintain power | sustain power |
| life | maintain life | sustain life |
| kind | maintain kind | sustain kind |
| Other words: body, relationship, form, army, degree, speed, level, atmosphere, world, facade, population, immortality, illusion, existence, powers, bodies, relationships. | ||
Both words in one sentence
- Even the Apothecaries of the Fists maintain that he's breaking the rules when it comes to how much damage a Space Marine can sustain.
Source: Made Of Iron / Tabletop Games -
The only Belgian rock band before them to have success in Europe was TC Matic, but they weren't able to maintain their career because most record labels in Belgium didn't have the facilities to sustain such international success yet.
Source: Music / Worst Case Scenario
Cite this Source
Sustain and Maintain. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/maintain/sustain
Maintain & Sustain. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/maintain/sustain>.
Sustain or Maintain. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/maintain/sustain.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "maintain" and "sustain" have occurred on timeline