maintenance
Americannoun
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the act of maintaining.
the maintenance of proper oral hygiene.
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the state of being maintained.
the maintenance of friendly relations with England.
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care or upkeep, as of machinery or property.
With proper maintenance the car will last for many years.
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means of upkeep, support, or subsistence; livelihood.
to provide a comfortable maintenance.
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alimony or child support.
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Law. an officious meddling in a suit in which the meddler has no interest, by assisting either party with means to prosecute or defend it.
adjective
noun
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the act of maintaining or the state of being maintained
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a means of support; livelihood
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(modifier) of or relating to the maintaining of buildings, machinery, etc
maintenance man
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law (formerly unlawful) the interference in a legal action by a person having no interest in it, as by providing funds to continue the action See also champerty
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law a provision ordered to be made by way of periodical payments or a lump sum, as after a divorce for a spouse
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computing
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the correction or prevention of faults in hardware by a programme of inspection and the replacement of parts
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the removal of existing faults and the modification of software in response to changes in specification or environment
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Usage
Spelling tips for maintenance The word maintenance is hard to spell because it is spelled differently from the way it is pronounced [ meyn-tuh-nuhns ]. How to spell maintenance: To spell maintenance, break it down into three parts: main - ten - ance. The suffix -ance means roughly "action."
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of maintenance
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English maintenaunce, from Middle French maintenance; equivalent to maintain + -ance
Explanation
If you make sure that your house or car or even a database stays in good working condition, you are keeping up on the maintenance. Maintain, the verb related to the noun maintenance, comes from the Latin expression manu tenere meaning literally "hold in the hand," a fitting picture for this word. As well as the upkeep of machines, maintenance can be used with things that need sustaining. The maintenance of law and order is taken care of by the police. When a couple divorces, the husband is usually required to pay maintenance — financial support — to the wife.
Vocabulary lists containing maintenance
Freak the Mighty
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Declaration of the Rights of Woman (1791)
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Franklin D. Roosevelt, "A Date That Will Live In Infamy" (1941)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
American rail companies have developed world-leading technologies that can monitor track conditions in real time, deploy predictive maintenance and optimize network operations with remarkable precision.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026
The move would give lawmakers power over the center’s operations, maintenance and management.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
Still, investors should be on the lookout for any recommendations regarding the maintenance and operation of Boeing’s flagship 787 jet.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
Automakers, long laser-focused on the new-car market, are now pouring resources into propping up used-car sales, aftermarket parts and maintenance work.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
The staff still came in: curators, cleaners, maintenance workers.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
