sustenance
noun
sus·te·nance
ˈsə-stə-nən(t)s 
1
a
: means of support, maintenance, or subsistence : living
b
: food, provisions
also
: nourishment
2
a
: the act of sustaining : the state of being sustained
b
: a supplying or being supplied with the necessaries of life
3
: something that gives support, endurance, or strength
Examples of sustenance in a Sentence
Tree bark provides deer with sustenance in periods of drought.
The village depends on the sea for sustenance.
She draws spiritual sustenance from daily church attendance.
Recent Examples on the Web
And exile is set into motion by trauma, whether that be from a state set on genocide or climate change and the ravaging effects of colonialism that have stripped the land of all sustenance.
—
Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
Bears often search for sustenance in people’s yards in early spring and late fall by rummaging through garbage, chicken coops, and bird feeders.
—Benjamin Alva Polley, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2025
The one meal a day from this charitable association has become their only lifeline – but the exhausting routine of hours spent standing in line for meager sustenance is pushing him and many others to the brink.
—Jeremy Diamond and Abeer Salman, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
In this city, food is more than just sustenance: Culture and identity are served on a plate.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sustenance
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Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2025
Bears often search for sustenance in people’s yards in early spring and late fall by rummaging through garbage, chicken coops, and bird feeders.
—Benjamin Alva Polley, Rolling Stone, 10 May 2025
The one meal a day from this charitable association has become their only lifeline – but the exhausting routine of hours spent standing in line for meager sustenance is pushing him and many others to the brink.
—Jeremy Diamond and Abeer Salman, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025
In this city, food is more than just sustenance: Culture and identity are served on a plate.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sustenance
Cite this Entry
“Sustenance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sustenance. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sustenance
noun
sus·te·nance
ˈsəs-tə-nən(t)s
1
a
: means of support, maintenance, or existence
2
: the act of sustaining : the state of being sustained
especially
: a supplying with the necessities of life
3
: something that gives support, help, or strength
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