sustainability
Americannoun
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the ability to be sustained, supported, upheld, or confirmed.
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Environmental Science. the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance.
The committee is developing sustainability standards for products that use energy.
Etymology
Origin of sustainability
Explanation
"Sustain" means to last over time, so sustainability is the ability of something to last. As a civilization, we are concerned about the sustainability of our planet. Sustainability became a big idea after people began to realize that we were using up our natural resources, so you’re most likely to come across the word when you’re reading about recycling and energy use. If you hear someone talking about sustainability in the context of energy, they’re probably talking about alternatives to oil or coal — both of which will run out in the future. A sustainable source of energy is something that's always there — like water or wind.
Vocabulary lists containing sustainability
Human Geography - Middle School
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Human Geography - High School
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Ecology - Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems - Introductory
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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.
It added: "The Act is designed to help reduce the cost of school uniforms and ensure that affordability, comfort, practicality and sustainability are at the centre of school uniform policies."
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
"By continually investing in our stores, our global online channel and our centralised logistics platforms, with an accompanying focus on sustainability, we will continue to generate long-term growth," the group said.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
However, the brokerage leaves its 2026-2028 earnings forecasts unchanged, pending greater clarity on growth sustainability amid intensifying competition and geopolitical headwinds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
The commission said that decisions over the next few months would have a "significant bearing" on the council's future financial sustainability.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
I hardly feel equipped to enter eighth grade, much less become a planetary leader in sustainability.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
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.
