sustained
Americanadjective
-
kept in process or continued over time; continuous.
National budgets need to reflect a sustained commitment to children's positive development, strong families, and caring communities.
-
(of an injury, cost, etc.) borne, experienced, or suffered.
Homeowner’s insurance is not available to cover sustained losses from a radiological accident.
-
upheld or confirmed as valid.
Nothing smacks more of courtroom defeat than ending a cross-examination on a sustained objection.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sustained
Explanation
Something that's sustained is held or maintained for a long time, keeping its strength or level consistent and unbroken. A singer's sustained note goes on and on, and a judge's sustained ruling continues to be upheld. The adjective sustained, which describes something that goes on uninterrupted for a long time, comes from the Latin word sustinere, "to hold up, support, or endure." Something sustained can be either good or bad: a sustained conflict is never good, but a sustained peace is something to be fought for.
Vocabulary lists containing sustained
President Biden's Inaugural Speech (January 2021)
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The Martian
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This Week In Words: August 22–28, 2020
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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.
SpaceX shares closed well below the $160.95 level sustained at the finish on June 12, when the company went public.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 22, 2026
It was not immediately clear, when the Dodgers announced the move a little over an hour before the game, when or how Treinen sustained the injury.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 21, 2026
James has sustained a number of injuries in his career and has faced questions about his ability to play regularly with limited recovery time.
From BBC • Jun. 21, 2026
Oil fields largely skirted bombing damage, though pipelines, petrochemical plants and other infrastructure sustained hits.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 20, 2026
The standing ovation at the end is as sustained as it was in Connellsville at the Pennsylvania festival, but with double the number of people on their feet.
From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove
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.
