sustainable
Americanadjective
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capable of being supported or upheld, as by having its weight borne from below.
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pertaining to a system that maintains its own viability by using techniques that allow for continual reuse.
sustainable agriculture. Aquaculture is a sustainable alternative to overfishing.
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able to be maintained or kept going, as an action or process.
a sustainable negotiation between the two countries.
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able to be confirmed or upheld.
a sustainable decision.
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able to be supported as with the basic necessities or sufficient funds.
a sustainable life.
adjective
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capable of being sustained
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(of economic development, energy sources, etc) capable of being maintained at a steady level without exhausting natural resources or causing severe ecological damage
sustainable development
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(of economic growth) non-inflationary
Other Word Forms
- nonsustainability noun
- nonsustainable adjective
- sustainability noun
- unsustainable adjective
Etymology
Origin of sustainable
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.
“We need an infusion of sustainable funds to keep the company solvent.”
From Los Angeles Times
And I think that a lot of young people are trying it, but then kind of sometimes it can take them a while to realise that it isn't something that's sustainable.
From BBC
"We are committed to maintaining and enhancing our rail infrastructure to deliver a high quality, safe and sustainable public transport network today, and for future generations," he said.
From BBC
Fully sustainable fuels, made from waste biomass or synthetic industrial processes, have added a new complication, as they burn differently from fossil fuel petrol.
From BBC
More important, the agreements are forging more sustainable relationships with many of our allies and partners, expanding our military alliances into the realm of economic security for the first time.
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.
