sustainable

American  

[suh-stey-nuh-buhl] / səˈsteɪ nə bəl /

adjective

1. capable of being supported or upheld, as by having its weight borne from below.

2. 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.

3. able to be maintained or kept going, as an action or process.

   a sustainable negotiation between the two countries.

4. able to be confirmed or upheld.

   a sustainable decision.

5. able to be supported as with the basic necessities or sufficient funds.

   a sustainable life.

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sustainable British  

/ səˈsteɪnəbəl /

adjective

1. capable of being sustained

2. (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

3. (of economic growth) non-inflationary

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Other Word Forms

• nonsustainability noun
• nonsustainable adjective
• sustainability noun
• unsustainable adjective

Etymology

Origin of sustainable

sustain + -able

Explanation

If something is sustainable, then it can be maintained or continued. A 5-minute mile pace probably isn't sustainable for anyone other than Olympic marathon runners. These days this adjective is often used to describe something that has a low long-term effect on the environment, like "sustainable agriculture" — a method of farming that doesn’t ravage the land, deplete resources permanently, or produce a great deal of pollution. Break down the word into two parts: sustain and able, to visualize and remember that you're able to sustain something sustainable.

Example Sentences

The triple whammy of these events should have prompted a sustainable selloff in corporate bonds as investors would move into safer assets.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

"The costs are always important", she said, but added that with 68p from the government, per pupil, per day, it was a "sustainable model ".

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

“We have the staff to implement it. We have a sustainable business to be able to pull off what is going to be close to a half-million-dollar production to mount a new show.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

“The Islamabad Talks laid the foundation for a diplomatic process that, if trust and will are strengthened, can create a sustainable framework for the interests of all parties.” he wrote on social media.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

It’s based on small family farms like Salatin’s, which practice true sustainable farming.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan

Related Words

• continual
• continuous
• viable