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

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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 While my dad is an excellent cook, his lunches usually focus on sustenance rather than enjoyment. Katherine Polcari, Southern Living, 28 Mar. 2025 The couple was arrested on suspicion of depriving animals of sustenance or causing needless suffering, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday in a news release. Rosalio Ahumada, Sacramento Bee, 20 Mar. 2025 But here in the Mediterranean, these chestnuts had lived for centuries, providing nourishment for humans and animals as well as timber for shelter and economic sustenance. Ben Seal, JSTOR Daily, 19 Mar. 2025 Sweetness and sustenance — pleasure and wealth, metaphorically speaking — are being put away for safekeeping. A.o. Scott, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sustenance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sustenance
Noun
  • The legislation mandates regular background checks for drivers, requires all rides to be recorded, and bans the exchange of food and drinks between riders and drivers, among other measures.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
  • The payloads aboard this Dragon cargo mission—the 32nd by SpaceX—include normal things like fresh food (exactly 1,262 tortillas), biomedical and pharmaceutical experiments, and the technical demonstration of a new atomic clock.
    Abigail Bassett, ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • During their bloom time, the nourishment comes from the roots because all of the bulb's energy has gone to the bloom and foliage.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Spencer's better, bad luck-prone half also needs some nourishment.
    Matt Cabral, EW.com, 23 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sustenance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sustenance. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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