sustentation
noun
sus·ten·ta·tion ˌsə-stən-ˈtā-shən 
-ˌsten-
1
: the act of sustaining : the state of being sustained: such as
a
: maintenance, upkeep
b
: preservation, conservation
c
: maintenance of life, growth, or morale
d
: provision with sustenance
2
: something that sustains : support
sustentative
ˈsə-stən-ˌtā-tiv
adjective sə-ˈsten-tə-tiv
Synonyms
- care and feeding
- conservation
- conserving
- keep
- maintenance
- preservation
- preserving
- upkeep
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
argues that a new toll is needed to pay for the long-term sustentation of the city's bridges the all-important sustentation of Mount Vernon, Monticello, and other national treasures
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin sustentation-, sustentatio act of holding up, from sustentare to hold up, frequentative of sustinēre to sustain
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
sustentation
noun
1
as in maintenance
the act or activity of keeping something in an existing and usually satisfactory condition argues that a new toll is needed to pay for the long-term sustentation of the city's bridges Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- maintenance
- preservation
- preserving
- upkeep
- conservation
- conserving
- sustaining
- keep
- support
- protection
- care and feeding
- safekeeping
- guardianship
- conservancy
- safeguarding
- defense
- custody
- care
- guarding
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- neglect
- negligence
- disregard
- destruction
- ignoring
- harm
- inattention
- injury
- damage
- demolition
- ruin
- dereliction
- ruination
- hurt
2
as in preservation
the careful maintaining and protection of something valuable especially in its natural or original state the all-important sustentation of Mount Vernon, Monticello, and other national treasures Synonyms & Similar Words
- preservation
- conservation
- maintenance
- protection
- conservancy
- salvation
- upkeep
- management
- defense
- saving
- safekeeping
- care
- economy
- guardianship
- safeguarding
- husbandry
- keeping
- guarding
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- neglect
- destruction
- waste
- ignoring
- damage
- ruin
- injury
- harm
- squandering
- dereliction
- hurt