maintenance
2 antonyms and opposites of maintenance, grouped by meaning.
Noun — The work of keeping a building, machine or system in good condition by checking, cleaning and repairing it regularly.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
The work of keeping a building, machine or system in good condition by checking, cleaning and repairing it regularly.
“The lift is out of service for routine maintenance.”
Opposites
2. noun
The act of keeping something going or holding it at a particular level.
“The drug is used for the maintenance of a steady heart rate.”
Antonyms
How to use maintenance
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Neutral; the money sense is chiefly British legal usage, where American English says alimony or child support.
Etymology
From Old French maintenance, from maintenir "to maintain", ultimately from Latin manu tenere, "to hold in the hand".
Full origin of maintenance →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between maintenance and repair?
Maintenance is planned work done to stop things going wrong — servicing, cleaning, replacing parts on schedule. Repair happens after something has already failed. Good maintenance is what reduces the amount of repair needed.
What is the difference between preventive and corrective maintenance?
Preventive maintenance is carried out at set intervals regardless of condition, to head off failures. Corrective maintenance is triggered by a fault that has been found, and restores the equipment to working order.
How do you spell maintenance?
It is m-a-i-n-t-e-n-a-n-c-e. The common error is "maintainance", carried over from the verb "maintain" — but the noun drops the "i" in the second syllable.