Distinguishing Between Maintain & Sustain

Maintain and sustain are two terms in the English language that are frequently confused due to their similar meanings and usage. However, there are subtle differences between these two words.

The term ‘maintain’ is typically used to mean ‘carry on,’ ‘protect with care,’ or ‘look after with care.’ For example:

1. He maintained his physique with diligence.
2. She maintained her dignity.

In both of these sentences, the word ‘maintain’ is used to convey the idea of protecting or looking after something with care.

On the other hand, the term ‘sustain’ is often used to mean ‘receive,’ ‘undergo,’ or ‘withstand.’ For instance:

1. He sustained injuries in the accident.
2. She sustained the effort.

In the first sentence, the word ‘sustain’ is used to indicate that the individual received injuries in the accident. In the second sentence, the word ‘sustain’ is used to convey the idea of withstanding the effort.

Both maintain and sustain are used as verbs, with ‘maintain’ having its noun form in the word ‘maintenance’ and ‘sustain’ having its noun form in the word ‘sustenance’.

Key Takeaways

• Maintain typically means to ‘carry on,’ ‘protect with care,’ or ‘look after with care.’
• Sustain generally means to ‘receive,’ ‘undergo,’ or ‘withstand.’
• Both maintain and sustain are verbs, with their noun forms being ‘maintenance’ and ‘sustenance,’ respectively.