sustained

American  

[suh-steynd] / səˈsteɪnd /

adjective

1. 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.

2. (of an injury, cost, etc.) borne, experienced, or suffered.

   Homeowner’s insurance is not available to cover sustained losses from a radiological accident.

3. upheld or confirmed as valid.

   Nothing smacks more of courtroom defeat than ending a cross-examination on a sustained objection.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of sustain.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• presustained
  adjective
• nonsustained
  adjective
• unsustained
  adjective
• well-sustained
  adjective
• sustainedly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of sustained

sustain ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

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.

Example Sentences

A sustained break below this level would expose the next major area around $4,000 per ounce, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026

A working base would allow sustained scientific research, the testing of technology bound for future Mars missions, and the eventual extraction of lunar resources.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

Topanga Creek hasn’t fully recovered from the damage it sustained, but scientists say it’s looking better.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

Any sustained increase in service prices would be bad news for consumers, inflation and the Fed.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

There’s no way they could have sustained this many people and all the passengers in stasis on the ship.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Related Words

• constant
• continued
• continuous
• uninterrupted