sustaining
Sustaining (adj) means providing support, strength, or nourishment. Example: “A sustaining breakfast helps you get through the morning.”
How to Use Sustaining
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishGiving ongoing support or nourishment, or the act of keeping something going.
Word Forms
more sustaining comparative, sustainings plural, most sustaining superlative
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
A _____ breakfast helps you get through the morning.
Related Words
Rhymes for sustaining
See all rhymes for sustaining →Frequently Asked Questions
What does “sustaining” mean?
The word “sustaining” means providing support, strength, or nourishment. In plain terms, giving ongoing support or nourishment, or the act of keeping something going.
How do you use “sustaining” in a sentence?
Here is “sustaining” used in a sentence: “A sustaining breakfast helps you get through the morning.”
What part of speech is “sustaining”?
Depending on how it is used, “sustaining” can be an adjective and a noun.
Is “sustaining” a common word?
“Sustaining” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “sustaining” have?
“Sustaining” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: providing support, strength, or nourishment.
What is the difference between sustaining and nourishing?
Sustaining describes providing support, strength, or nourishment broadly, and can apply to physical, emotional, or structural support. Nourishing is narrower, typically referring specifically to food or care that maintains health and growth. A sustaining meal is nourishing, but sustaining can also describe non-food things like relationships or beliefs that keep someone going.
Can sustaining be used as both an adjective and a noun?
Yes. As an adjective, sustaining describes something that provides support, strength, or nourishment, such as a sustaining diet. As a noun, sustaining refers to the act or process of keeping something going or supported, such as the sustaining of a long tradition.
What kinds of things are typically described as sustaining?
Sustaining is commonly used to describe meals, relationships, beliefs, or practices that provide ongoing support or strength over time, helping something or someone continue rather than fail or fade.