SUSTENANCE Synonyms: 10 Similar and Opposite Words

sustenance

noun

ˈsə-stə-nən(t)s

Definition of sustenance

as in food

something that maintains or stimulates the intellect my only sustenance on the long flight was a trashy novel I'd bought in the airport

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of sustenance Eating and drinking Situated next to the pool and providing sustenance from early morning to late at night is the Son Xotano restaurant. — Jonathan Samuels, TheWeek, 17 July 2026 To provide that sustenance that gives people life and well-being. — Arkansas Online, 10 July 2026 One of the researchers’ biggest surprises was the discovery of a particular type of shell from the mollusk Columbella rustica, too small to provide sustenance, in both the Neanderthal and Homo sapiens layers. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 7 July 2026 The harm from a dramatic AI-induced increase in mass unemployment would not be cured simply with Universal Basic Income, a policy that shares the gains of AI by simply cutting equal checks to ensure basic sustenance for all. — Gene Sperling, Time, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sustenance

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sustenance

Noun

In recent weeks, family members of Lincoln service members voiced worries about deteriorating mental health conditions aboard the ship, as well as sanitary conditions and food shortages.

— Khaled Wassef, CBS News, 21 Aug. 2026
Two fishermen were rescued Wednesday after floating adrift more than 100 miles off the coast of Mexico with no food or water for five days, the Mexican navy announced.

— Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of food

Noun

In 2023, the Foundation moved into a different level of maturity, launching a wellness marketplace and café, based on nourishment for mind, body and spirit.

— Dr. Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
The Head provides water and nourishment, and enables residents to communicate telepathically with each other.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of nourishment

Browse Nearby Words

sustains

sustenance

sustentation

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“Sustenance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sustenance. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of sustenance

noun

Example Sentences

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