maintain
to keep in an appropriate condition, operation, or force; keep unimpaired: to maintain order; to maintain public highways.
to keep in a specified state, position, etc.: to maintain a correct posture; to maintain good health.
to support in speech or argument, as a statement or proposition.
to keep or hold against attack: to maintain one's ground.
to provide for the upkeep or support of; carry the expenses of: to maintain a family.
to sustain or support: not enough water to maintain life.
Origin of maintain
1synonym study For maintain
Other words for maintain
Opposites for maintain
Other words from maintain
- main·tain·a·ble, adjective
- main·tain·a·bil·i·ty, noun
- main·tain·er, noun
- pre·main·tain, verb (used with object)
- self-main·tained, adjective
- self-main·tain·ing, adjective
- un·der·main·tain, verb (used with object)
- un·der·main·tained, adjective
- un·main·tain·a·ble, adjective
- un·main·tained, adjective
- well-main·tained, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use maintain in a sentence
Nevertheless, Lauten told the Tribune-Review on Thursday that the Steelers maintain they are covered under the list of exemptions.
Pennsylvania says all athletes must wear masks while playing. The Steelers say they’re exempt. | Matt Bonesteel | November 20, 2020 | Washington PostIn fact, Lee maintains, if we had 90 percent compliance with face masks and social distancing right now, we could contain the virus without a vaccine.
In fact, Lee maintains, if we had 90% compliance with face masks and social distancing right now, we could contain the virus without a vaccine.
Central to the debate has been the role of the government in bearing and hedging risk through programs such as loan guarantees, a new public bank, and direct support from the Federal Reserve to maintain low interest rates to ease the transition.
Longer legs, for example, allowed us to cover ground more efficiently while foraging or hunting, but they also cost more energy to grow and maintain—so our legs only got longer until they reached a point of diminishing energetic returns.
This suggests that places combining—but also maintaining—place and possibility have a lot to offer people.
The group might have condemned violence while still maintaining an adversarial relationship with the police force.
De Blasio and the New York City Protesters Have No Blood on Their Hands | Jacob Siegel | December 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAt the same time, Democrats lost ground, now maintaining unilateral control in just six states, down from 11 before the midterms.
GOP States’ Hitlist: Abortion, Unions & Hillary | Nancy Kaffer | November 18, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAnd diversity is playing an ever increasing role in maintaining profitability.
Marvel and DC Plan 20 Movies for the Next Six Years: Will the Comic Book Movie Bubble Burst? | Rich Goldstein | October 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTMaintaining the high caliber of guest to which his viewers have become accustomed, Galifianakis welcomes Brad Pitt to the ferns.
Brad Pitt and Louis C.K. Go ‘Between Two Ferns’ | Alex Chancey, The Daily Beast Video | October 23, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe object of this practise is to attain facility in manipulating the elements while maintaining the smooth quality of the tone.
Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge SouthwickThe King arrived in Naples bent on maintaining his crown and on allowing no interference from the Emperor.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonWellington himself bore testimony to Soult's virtues, maintaining that of the Marshals he was second only to Massna.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonBut no one is therefore warranted in maintaining that to apply it so, is to use it in things religious.
The Ordinance of Covenanting | John CunninghamThe more his kind wife exerted herself to comfort him, the more obstinately he persisted in maintaining his own sombre views.
The World Before Them | Susanna Moodie
British Dictionary definitions for maintain
/ (meɪnˈteɪn) /
to continue or retain; keep in existence
to keep in proper or good condition: to maintain a building
to support a style of living: the money maintained us for a month
(takes a clause as object) to state or assert: he maintained that Talbot was wrong
to defend against contradiction; uphold: she maintained her innocence
to defend against physical attack
Origin of maintain
1Derived forms of maintain
- maintainable, adjective
- maintainer, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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