maintainverb [ T ]
uk/meɪnˈteɪn/us/meɪnˈteɪn/maintain verb [ T ] (CONTINUE TO HAVE)
B2 to continue to have; to keep in existence, or not allow to become less:
The army has been brought in to maintain order in the region.
We have standards to maintain.
Despite living in different countries, the two families have maintained close links.
The film has maintained its position as the critics' favourite for another year.
More examples
- With an election approaching, the prime minister is keen to maintain his popularity.
- The Queen has maintained political neutrality throughout her reign.
- Security during the president's visit must be maintained at all costs.
- Several of the teachers were quite unable to maintain discipline.
- The United Nations has maintained a presence in the region for some time.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Keeping and storing things
- appropriate
- aside
- bank
- capture
- cling
- cling (on) to sth
- earmark
- lay
- lay sth in
- pack sth away
- put sth away
- repository
- reserve
- reserved
- storage
- store
- store sth up
- stow
- stow (sth) away
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maintain verb [ T ] (KEEP IN GOOD CONDITION)
B2 to keep a road, machine, building, etc. in good condition:
A large house costs a lot to maintain.
The roads in the town have been very poorly maintained.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Preserving and saving
- a knight in shining armour idiom
- conserve
- deliver
- guardian angel
- keep
- keep sth up
- knight
- life-saver
- lifeguard
- pluck
- reclaim
- salvation
- save
- save sb's bacon/neck idiom
- save your own skin/hide idiom
- saved by the bell idiom
- saviour
- spare
- sustain
- upcycle
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maintain verb [ T ] (EXPRESS)
C2 to express firmly your belief that something is true:
Throughout his prison sentence, Dunn has always maintained his innocence.
[ + that ] He maintains that he has never seen the woman before.
More examples
- He maintains that he was nowhere near the house.
- They still maintain their innocence.
- He firmly maintains that he was there at the time.
- They maintain that their story is true.
- The management maintain they did everything they could to avoid the disaster.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Assertions & asserting
- airing
- assert
- assertion
- attestation
- aver
- claim
- emphatic
- foot
- lay
- lay sth on the line idiom
- make out sth
- misstate
- pled
- reaffirm
- set
- story
- take
- take it from me idiom
- take sth from sb
- that's my story and I'm sticking to it idiom
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maintain verb [ T ] (PROVIDE)
to provide someone with food and whatever is necessary for them to live on:
They barely earn enough to maintain themselves and their four children.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Giving, providing and supplying
- accommodate
- accord
- administer
- administration
- assignment
- award
- deliver
- go round (somewhere)
- hand sth around
- hand sth back
- hand sth in
- hand sth out
- invest
- lay
- spare
- step
- step forward
- supplier
- supply
- supply chain
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