maintenance

12 synonyms and 2 antonyms for maintenance, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — The work of keeping a building, machine or system in good condition by checking, cleaning and repairing it regularly.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

care

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

servicing preservation continuation

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

sustentation upkeep repairs alimony sustenance sustainment upholding child support

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.”

sustentation upkeep servicing repairs care alimony sustenance sustainment

Opposites

neglect disrepair

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.”

preservation continuation upholding

3. noun

Money paid regularly by one person for the living costs of a former spouse or of a child they do not live with.

“He fell behind on maintenance payments for the children.”

alimony child support upkeep

How to use maintenance

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

routine maintenance scheduled maintenance maintenance costs low maintenance maintenance payments

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.

People also searched

care preservation neglect continuation servicing upholding upkeep sustentation alimony sustenance disrepair sustainment

Nearby words

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