sustenance
/ˈsʌstənəns/ (bre, ipa) · [sˈʌstənəns] /ˈsʌstənəns/ (ame, ipa) · [sˈʌstənəns] /ˈsə-stə-nən(t)s How to pronounce sustenance (audio)/ (ame, mw)
sustenance — noun
1. The food, and sometimes drink, that lets a person, animal, or plant stay alive,
The food, and sometimes drink, that lets a person, animal, or plant stay alive, especially in a difficult situation.
Rescue workers carried water and basic sustenance to the flooded village.
basic sustenance for survival
The trapped hikers shared dried fruit as their only sustenance overnight.
Tiny roots drew sustenance from the wet soil beside the wall.
During the siege, thin soup was the family's main sustenance.
- food
broader and more neutral; not especially focused on survival
- provisions
used for supplies prepared for a journey or emergency
- rations
suggests fixed limited amounts, often in military or emergency settings
- starvation
the condition of having too little food to live on
文法句型
provide sustenance for + person / place
draw sustenance from + source
用法筆記
Usually uncountable and often used in serious, formal, or literary contexts where the focus is survival rather than enjoyment. It commonly refers to very basic food or drink, not a full meal with social meaning.
常見錯誤
2. The amount of strength and lasting energy that food gives to the body.
The amount of strength and lasting energy that food gives to the body.
A bowl of beans offers more sustenance than a packet of biscuits.
comparison: more sustenance than
The nurse chose porridge because it gave the patient steady sustenance.
Trail runners need snacks with real sustenance, not just sugar.
Grandpa said the stew had enough sustenance for a cold morning.
- nourishment
slightly broader; includes the process of feeding as well as the value of food
- nutrition
more scientific and often used in health discussion
- staying power
informal; focuses on how long food keeps you going
文法句型
food gives sustenance
have enough sustenance for + activity / time
用法筆記
Most often used when comparing foods and judging how filling or strengthening they are. It commonly appears after verbs such as 'give', 'offer', or 'have', rather than naming the food itself as in sense 1.
3. A source of comfort or inner strength that helps someone endure pain, grief, or
A source of comfort or inner strength that helps someone endure pain, grief, or pressure.
Music became Jia's sustenance during months of care at home.
be someone's sustenance during hardship
After the divorce, prayer was Nadia's main sustenance each evening.
Letters from old friends gave Eri quiet sustenance in hospital.
The small garden provided mental sustenance for residents of the shelter.
- solace
focuses on comfort in sadness or pain
- comfort
broader everyday word for emotional relief
- encouragement
focuses more on confidence and hope
- despair
a complete loss of hope or inner strength
文法句型
find sustenance in + activity / belief
be someone's sustenance during + hardship
用法筆記
Often appears with sources such as music, prayer, memory, friendship, or nature. Distinguish from sense 5: this sense keeps a person emotionally steady, while sense 5 is about keeping a system, community, or tradition in existence.
4. The income or material support a person depends on in order to live.
The income or material support a person depends on in order to live.
Fishing was the islanders' chief sustenance before tourism arrived.
chief sustenance from a livelihood source
The market stall provided sustenance for Padma and her two sons.
provide sustenance for + family
When the mine closed, hundreds of families lost their sustenance.
Small farms remain the main sustenance of many mountain villages.
- livelihood
the most direct modern equivalent
- income
narrower; focuses only on money received
- means of support
formal phrase for what keeps someone materially secure
文法句型
provide sustenance for + family / community
lose sustenance when + job / source ends
用法筆記
Common in formal, historical, or literary discussion of workers, households, and communities. Distinguish from sense 1: here the word means the resources that pay for life, not the actual food or drink itself.
5. The continuing support that lets a life, system, community, or tradition remain
The continuing support that lets a life, system, community, or tradition remain in being.
Clean rivers are essential to the sustenance of local farming communities.
the sustenance of + community
Public trust is vital for the sustenance of any democracy.
vital for the sustenance of + system
These forests play a part in the sustenance of rare bird species.
Careful repairs ensured the sustenance of the old temple for decades.
- continuation
neutral term for something going on without stopping
- maintenance
emphasises ongoing care needed to keep something functioning
- preservation
focuses on protecting something from damage or loss
- collapse
the sudden failure of a system or structure
- extinction
the complete ending of a species or form of life
文法句型
the sustenance of + system / tradition / species
be vital to the sustenance of + noun
用法筆記
Most common in formal writing about institutions, ecosystems, traditions, and long-term social or biological survival. Distinguish from sense 3: this sense is about preserving existence over time, not giving a person emotional comfort.