sustainable
Americanadjective
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capable of being supported or upheld, as by having its weight borne from below.
-
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.
For years, scientists have been searching for alternatives that are cheaper and more sustainable.
From Science Daily
They’ve just flown in from a trip to the time of dinosaurs, bringing back flora to add to their sustainable lifestyles.
From Los Angeles Times
“Michele and the Spirit leadership spoke about the vision for the franchise, creating sustainable success, implementing innovation and being a standard bearer for women’s sports,” Johnson wrote on X following Thursday’s event.
From Los Angeles Times
The little guys may not have the scale, financing, expertise, or intellectual property to sustainably compete with the heavy-hitters.
From Barron's
She added: "Without a wholesale shift in focus to prevention, a sustainable plan for social care and a re-think on capital investment, there is a risk surges in progress will be short lived."
From BBC
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.
