Abstain vs. Sustain — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 28, 2024
Abstain means to deliberately choose not to participate in an activity or refrain from using something, while sustain means to support, maintain, or endure over time.
Difference Between Abstain and Sustain
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Abstaining involves a conscious decision to avoid certain actions, substances, or practices, often for health, ethical, or personal reasons. Sustaining, conversely, refers to the act of keeping something going or extending its duration, whether it's environmental resources, an effort, or life itself.
When someone abstains, they are making a choice to not engage in a specific behavior or consumption, such as abstaining from alcohol or voting. Sustaining, on the other hand, implies providing the necessary support or conditions for something to continue effectively, like sustaining a conversation or sustaining an ecosystem.
Abstain is often used in contexts where self-restraint is emphasized, highlighting an individual’s agency and discipline in their choices. Sustain, however, focuses on the capacity to uphold, nourish, or bear, often requiring a continuous input of energy or resources to maintain a certain state or activity.
The concept of abstaining is inherently linked to the notion of avoidance or refusal, suggesting a break or pause in a pattern of behavior. Sustain, in contrast, underscores the idea of ongoing support or maintenance, indicating a commitment to continuity or preservation.
Abstaining can be a temporary or permanent decision based on moral, ethical, or health considerations, demonstrating a form of self-control or adherence to a belief. Sustaining something often involves a long-term perspective, aiming to keep processes, relationships, or conditions stable and viable over time.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
To deliberately refrain from doing something.
To support, maintain, or endure.
Context
Personal choice, self-restraint.
Continuity, support.
Usage
Decisions to not participate or consume.
Efforts to keep something going.
Focus
Avoidance, refusal.
Support, maintenance, preservation.
Outcome
Demonstrates self-control or adherence to beliefs.
Ensures stability and viability over time.
Compare with Definitions
Abstain
Choosing not to participate in an activity or to use something.
He decided to abstain from sugar to improve his health.
Sustain
To support, maintain, or endure something over time.
The charity works to sustain local communities with food and education.
Abstain
Reflects discipline and control over one’s actions.
Abstaining from online shopping requires discipline in today’s digital age.
Sustain
Supporting health and endurance.
A balanced diet sustains physical health and energy levels.
Abstain
Choosing not to vote or make a choice in a vote.
She abstained from voting in the last election due to dissatisfaction with the candidates.
Sustain
Keeping relationships healthy and ongoing.
Good communication is essential to sustain a healthy relationship.
Abstain
Can be a short-term decision or a lifelong commitment.
They chose to abstain from meat during Lent.
Sustain
Refers to maintaining ecological balance.
Sustainable practices are crucial for sustaining biodiversity.
Abstain
Often for ethical, religious, or health motivations.
Many abstain from alcohol for personal or health reasons.
Sustain
Maintaining stability in systems.
Policies must be implemented to sustain economic growth and equality.
Abstain
To keep oneself from doing, engaging in, or partaking of something; refrain
Abstain from partisan political rhetoric.
Abstain from drinking alcohol.
Sustain
Strengthen or support physically or mentally
This thought had sustained him throughout the years
Abstain
To refrain from voting
Forty senators voted in favor of the bill, 45 voted against it, and 15 abstained.
Sustain
Undergo or suffer (something unpleasant, especially an injury)
He sustained severe head injuries
Abstain
Keep or withhold oneself.
Sustain
Cause to continue for an extended period or without interruption
He cannot sustain a normal conversation
Abstain
(intransitive) Refrain from (something or doing something); keep from doing, especially an indulgence.
In order to improve his health, Rob decided to abstain from smoking.
Sustain
Uphold, affirm, or confirm the justice or validity of
The allegations of discrimination were sustained
Abstain
Fast not eat for a period.
Sustain
An effect or facility on a keyboard or electronic instrument whereby a note can be sustained after the key is released.
Abstain
(intransitive) Deliberately refrain from casting one's vote at a meeting where one is present.
I abstain from this vote, as I have no particular preference.
Sustain
To keep in existence; maintain, continue, or prolong
Sustain an effort.
Abstain
Hinder; keep back; withhold.
Sustain
To keep up (a joke or assumed role, for example) competently.
Abstain
To hold one's self aloof; to forbear or refrain voluntarily, and especially from an indulgence of the passions or appetites; - with from.
Not a few abstained from voting.
Who abstains from meat that is not gaunt?
Sustain
To supply with necessities or nourishment; provide for
The income needed to sustain a family.
Abstain
To hinder; to withhold.
Whether he abstain men from marrying.
Sustain
To support the spirits, vitality, or resolution of; encourage
We were sustained by her unflagging optimism.
Abstain
Refrain from voting
Sustain
To support from below; keep from falling or sinking; prop
The beams sustain the weight of the roof.
Abstain
Choose no to consume;
I abstain from alcohol
Sustain
To bear up under; withstand
Can't sustain the blistering heat.
Sustain
To experience or suffer
Sustained minor injuries.
Sustain
To affirm the validity of
The judge has sustained the prosecutor's objection.
Sustain
A capacity of a musical instrument to continue the resounding of a note or tone.
Sustain
(transitive) To maintain, or keep in existence.
The professor had trouble sustaining students’ interest until the end of her lectures.
The city came under sustained attack by enemy forces.
Sam managed to sustain his erection for two straight hours.
Sustain
(transitive) To provide for or nourish.
Provisions to sustain an army
Sustain
(transitive) To encourage or sanction (something). en
Sustain
(transitive) To experience or suffer (an injury, etc.).
The building sustained major damage in the earthquake.
Sustain
(transitive) To confirm, prove, or corroborate; to uphold.
To sustain a charge, an accusation, or a proposition
Sustain
To allow, accept, or admit (e.g. an objection or motion) as valid.
Sustain
To keep from falling; to bear; to uphold; to support.
A foundation sustains the superstructure; an animal sustains a load; a rope sustains a weight.
Sustain
To aid, comfort, or relieve; to vindicate.
Sustain
(music) A mechanism which can be used to hold a note, as the right pedal on a piano.
Sustain
To keep from falling; to bear; to uphold; to support; as, a foundation sustains the superstructure; a beast sustains a load; a rope sustains a weight.
Every pillar the temple to sustain.
Sustain
Hence, to keep from sinking, as in despondence, or the like; to support.
No comfortable expectations of another life to sustain him under the evils in this world.
Sustain
To maintain; to keep alive; to support; to subsist; to nourish; as, provisions to sustain an army.
Sustain
To aid, comfort, or relieve; to vindicate.
His sons, who seek the tyrant to sustain.
Sustain
To endure without failing or yielding; to bear up under; as, to sustain defeat and disappointment.
Sustain
To suffer; to bear; to undergo.
Shall Turnus, then, such endless toil sustain?
You shall sustain more new disgraces.
Sustain
To allow the prosecution of; to admit as valid; to sanction; to continue; not to dismiss or abate; as, the court sustained the action or suit.
Sustain
To prove; to establish by evidence; to corroborate or confirm; to be conclusive of; as, to sustain a charge, an accusation, or a proposition.
Sustain
One who, or that which, upholds or sustains; a sustainer.
I waked again, for my sustain was the Lord.
Sustain
Lengthen or extend in duration or space;
We sustained the diplomatic negociations as long as possible
Prolong the treatment of the patient
Keep up the good work
Sustain
Undergo (as of injuries and illnesses);
She suffered a fracture in the accident
He had an insulin shock after eating three candy bars
She got a bruise on her leg
He got his arm broken in the scuffle
Sustain
Provide with nourishment;
We sustained ourselves on bread and water
This kind of food is not nourishing for young children
Sustain
Supply with necessities and support;
She alone sustained her family
The money will sustain our good cause
There's little to earn and many to keep
Sustain
Be the physical support of; carry the weight of;
The beam holds up the roof
He supported me with one hand while I balanced on the beam
What's holding that mirror?
Sustain
Admit as valid;
The court sustained the motion
Sustain
Establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts;
His story confirmed my doubts
The evidence supports the defendant
Common Curiosities
What does it mean to abstain?
To abstain means to consciously decide not to engage in a particular activity or consumption.
Why is sustainability important?
Sustainability is crucial for ensuring the long-term viability and health of the environment, economies, and societies.
What's the difference between abstaining and fasting?
Fasting is a form of abstaining from food or drink for a period of time, often for religious reasons, while abstaining can apply to any activity or substance.
Can abstaining have positive effects?
Yes, abstaining can have positive health, ethical, or personal effects by avoiding harmful behaviors or substances.
Is abstaining the same as quitting?
Abstaining can be temporary or situational, while quitting often implies a permanent cessation.
Can one abstain from positive activities?
Yes, one might choose to abstain from activities considered positive for personal reasons, like taking a break from technology.
Can abstaining be a form of protest?
Yes, abstaining from buying certain products or participating in certain activities can be a powerful form of protest or boycott.
How does something sustain?
Something sustains by being maintained, supported, or endured over time through ongoing effort or resources.
Is it possible to sustainably manage natural resources?
Yes, through careful planning and conservation efforts, natural resources can be managed in a way that sustains them for future use.
What are sustainable practices?
Sustainable practices are methods that do not deplete resources or harm the environment, ensuring availability for future generations.
How can one sustain motivation?
Sustaining motivation often involves setting clear goals, finding personal meaning in tasks, and maintaining a positive mindset.
What are the challenges of sustainability?
Challenges include balancing current demands with future needs, changing behaviors and systems, and addressing economic and environmental inequalities.
Can abstaining from certain foods improve health?
Yes, abstaining from processed, sugary, or unhealthy foods can lead to better health outcomes.
How does sustaining affect personal relationships?
Sustaining personal relationships requires continuous effort, communication, and support to maintain health and closeness over time.
What role does sustainability play in business?
In business, sustainability focuses on meeting present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet theirs, often through eco-friendly practices.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
