noun
Common
maintaining
mayn-TAY-nihng
Maintaining (noun) means the ongoing act of keeping something working, in good repair, or unchanged. Example: “Maintaining a garden takes regular watering, weeding and a lot of patience.”
noun
1
The ongoing act of keeping something working, in good repair, or unchanged.
"Maintaining a garden takes regular watering, weeding and a lot of patience."
"The maintaining of the bridge is handled by a small local team."
"Maintaining the old house took most of their weekends."
How to use maintaining
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe ongoing work or effort of keeping something in good condition or continuing as it is.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like maintaining.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ a garden takes regular watering, weeding and a lot of patience.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for maintaining
See all rhymes for maintaining →Frequently asked questions
What does “maintaining” mean?
The word “maintaining” means the ongoing act of keeping something working, in good repair, or unchanged. In plain terms, the ongoing work or effort of keeping something in good condition or continuing as it is.
How do you pronounce “maintaining”?
“Maintaining” is pronounced mayn-TAY-nihng (/meɪnˈteɪnɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “maintaining” in a sentence?
Here is “maintaining” used in a sentence: “Maintaining the old house took most of their weekends.”
What part of speech is “maintaining”?
“Maintaining” is a noun.
Is “maintaining” a common word?
“Maintaining” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between "maintaining" and "maintenance"?
"Maintaining" is the ongoing action of keeping something working, in good repair, or unchanged, and is the verb form or gerund. "Maintenance" is the noun for the work itself, so you maintain a car by maintaining it, and that activity is called its maintenance.
What is the difference between "maintaining" and "sustaining"?
"Maintaining" means keeping something in its current working or unchanged state, while "sustaining" emphasises supporting something or keeping it going over time, often against difficulty. You maintain a machine, but you sustain an effort, a life, or a level of growth.
What is the difference between "maintaining" and "retaining"?
"Maintaining" is keeping something in good working order or unchanged, while "retaining" means continuing to hold or keep possession of something. You maintain a garden, but you retain ownership of the land it sits on.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include maintaining:
