Definition of 'maintain'
Word forms: 3rd person singular present tense maintains
, present participle maintaining
, past tense, past participle maintained
2. verb
4. verb
5. verb
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
You may also like
Word Frequency
maintain in British English
verb (transitive)
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
maintainable (mainˈtainable) adjective
maintainer (mainˈtainer)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French maintenir, ultimately from Latin manū tenēre to hold in the hand
Word Frequency
maintain in American English
verb transitive
1.
to keep or keep up; continue in or with; carry on
2.
b.
to maintain roads
3.
to keep or hold (a place, position, etc.) against attack; defend
5.
SIMILAR WORDS: supˈport
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Derived forms
maintainable (mainˈtainable)
adjective
maintainer (mainˈtainer)
noun
Word Frequency
maintain in American English
(meinˈtein)
transitive verb
SYNONYMS 1. continue. 1, 2. keep up. 4. asseverate. maintain, assert, aver, allege, hold, state all mean to express an opinion, judgment, or position. maintain carries the implications of both firmness and persistence in declaring or supporting
a conviction: She maintained her client's innocence even in the face of damaging evidence. assert suggests assurance, confidence, and sometimes aggressiveness in the effort to persuade
others to agree with or accept one’s position: He asserted again and again the government's right to control the waterway. aver, like assert, implies confident declaration and sometimes suggests a firmly positive or peremptory
tone; in legal use aver means “to allege as fact”: to aver that the evidence is incontrovertible. allege indicates a statement without evidence to support it, and thus can imply doubt as
to the validity or accuracy of an assertion: The official is alleged to have been unaware of the crime. hold means simply to have or express a conviction or belief: We hold these truths to be self-evident; She held that her rights had been violated. state usually suggests a declaration that is forthright and unambiguous: He stated his reasons in clear, simple language. 5. uphold, defend, vindicate, justify. 7. See support.ANTONYMS 1. discontinue. 5. contradict.1.
to keep in existence or continuance; preserve; retain
to maintain good relations with neighboring countries
2.
to maintain order
to maintain public highways
3.
to keep in a specified state, position, etc
to maintain a correct posture
to maintain good health
4.
to affirm; assert; declare
He maintained that the country was going downhill
5.
6.
to keep or hold against attack
to maintain one's ground
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
maintainable adjective
maintainability
noun
maintainer
noun
Examples of 'maintain' in a sentence
maintain
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company HarperCollins.
We welcome feedback: report an example sentence to the Collins team. Read more…
Trends of
maintain
View usage for:
Source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
In other languages
maintain
British English: maintain
/meɪnˈteɪn/ VERB
If you maintain something, you continue to have it, and do not let it stop or grow weaker.
I maintained contact with them for years.
- American English: maintain /mɛɪnˈteɪn/
- Arabic: يَصُونُ
- Brazilian Portuguese: manter
- Chinese: 维持
- Croatian: održavati
- Czech: udržovat v pořádku
- Danish: bevare
- Dutch: onderhouden behouden
- European Spanish: mantener preservar
- Finnish: ylläpitää
- French: maintenir
- German: erhalten
- Greek: συντηρώ
- Italian: mantenere
- Japanese: 維持する
- Korean: 유지하다
- Norwegian: opprettholde
- Polish: utrzymać
- European Portuguese: manter
- Romanian: a menține
- Russian: поддерживать
- Latin American Spanish: mantener sostener
- Swedish: underhålla serva
- Thai: ดูแลรักษา
- Turkish: sürdürmek
- Ukrainian: зберігати
- Vietnamese: duy trì
Browse alphabetically
maintain
Related terms of
maintain
Source
Definition of maintain from the Collins English Dictionary
Read about the team of authors behind Collins Dictionaries.
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
INVERTEBRATES
Drag the correct answer into the box.
butterfly
centipede
slug
cockroach
INVERTEBRATES
Drag the correct answer into the box.
earthworm
centipede
ant
mosquito
Your score:
Word of the day
chortle
To chortle means to laugh in a way that shows you are very pleased .
Latest Word Submissions
Intellectiquette
May 06, 2024
Diaper Donny
May 06, 2024
Printerager
May 05, 2024
malinformation
May 04, 2024
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
SYNONYMS
Select the synonym for:
accidentally
SYNONYMS
Select the synonym for:
small
SYNONYMS
Select the synonym for:
easy
SYNONYMS
Select the synonym for:
pleasing
Your score:
Learning English: Going shopping
Discover some useful English expressions to use while you're out at the shops in this week's Learning English blog.
Read more
Sting-Nettle Day
We're taking a closer look at the intriguing expressions and customs that have grown up around one of the most versatile plants out there - the stinging nettle.
Read more
Learning English: Saying goodbye
Learn informal ways to say goodbye in British English - from 'Goodbye' to 'See ya!' with examples and tips for everyday use.
Read more
Scrabble: Spoilt for Choice
Strategize your Scrabble moves based on anagrams on the board, score, vowel placement, and hooks to get the best score you can.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more