Support vs. Sustain — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 24, 2023
"Support" primarily means to hold up or bear the weight of something, while "Sustain" means to maintain or keep something going over time.
Difference Between Support and Sustain
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Support" and "Sustain," though sometimes used interchangeably, have distinct nuances. "Support" often implies a structure or action that holds something up or offers assistance. For instance, a pillar supports a building by bearing its weight. On the other hand, "Sustain" denotes the act of maintaining, prolonging, or enduring. A business sustains its operations by continually generating revenue.
When thinking of "Support" in a more figurative context, it often means to provide assistance or backing. A community might support a local initiative by volunteering and donating. "Sustain" in a similar context would imply ensuring the initiative's longevity. A continuous stream of funds can sustain a charity's activities.
In personal relationships, to "Support" someone can mean providing emotional or financial backing during challenging times. In contrast, to "Sustain" a relationship means to nurture and maintain it over the long term, ensuring its health and vitality.
In essence, while "Support" often denotes a moment or an act of assistance, "Sustain" implies a longer-term process or state of continuation.
Comparison Chart
Primary Meaning
To hold up or bear the weight of something.
To maintain or keep something going over time.
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Connotation
Providing assistance or backing.
Continuation, endurance.
Grammatical Role
Typically used as a verb or noun.
Typically used as a verb.
In Context of Help
To give immediate aid or assistance.
To ensure longevity or maintenance of something.
Duration Implication
Might imply short-term or one-time help.
Implies a longer-term process or state.
Compare with Definitions
Support
To provide assistance or backing.
She supports local charities.
Sustain
To maintain or prolong.
He sustains his energy with a balanced diet.
Support
To corroborate or confirm.
The evidence supports his alibi.
Sustain
To experience or suffer.
The soldier sustained injuries in battle.
Support
To bear the weight of, especially from below; keep from falling, sinking, or slipping
Pillars support the roof.
Sustain
To support or bear the weight.
The foundation sustains the entire structure.
Support
To bear or hold up (an amount of weight)
The bridge supports 10 tons.
Sustain
To keep up or keep going.
The company sustained growth over the years.
Support
To keep from weakening or failing; give confidence or comfort to
The letter supported him in his grief.
Sustain
Strengthen or support physically or mentally
This thought had sustained him throughout the years
Support
To keep from falling in value, as by government purchases
A program to support the price of wheat.
Sustain
Undergo or suffer (something unpleasant, especially an injury)
He sustained severe head injuries
Support
To provide for or maintain by supplying with money or necessities
The homeless shelter is supported solely by donations.
Sustain
Cause to continue for an extended period or without interruption
He cannot sustain a normal conversation
Support
To furnish corroborating evidence for
New facts supported her story.
Sustain
Uphold, affirm, or confirm the justice or validity of
The allegations of discrimination were sustained
Support
To aid the cause, policy, or interests of
Supported her in her election campaign.
Sustain
An effect or facility on a keyboard or electronic instrument whereby a note can be sustained after the key is released.
Support
To argue in favor of; advocate
Supported lower taxes.
Sustain
To keep in existence; maintain, continue, or prolong
Sustain an effort.
Support
To have an enthusiastic interest in (a sports team).
Sustain
To keep up (a joke or assumed role, for example) competently.
Support
To endure; tolerate
"At supper there was such a conflux of company that I could scarcely support the tumult" (Samuel Johnson).
Sustain
To supply with necessities or nourishment; provide for
The income needed to sustain a family.
Support
To act in a secondary or subordinate role to (a leading performer).
Sustain
To support the spirits, vitality, or resolution of; encourage
We were sustained by her unflagging optimism.
Support
To offer help or advice regarding (a product or service).
Sustain
To support from below; keep from falling or sinking; prop
The beams sustain the weight of the roof.
Support
(Computers) To be compatible with (a program)
That operating system does not support most new applications.
Sustain
To bear up under; withstand
Can't sustain the blistering heat.
Support
The act of supporting
Our candidate needs your support.
Sustain
To experience or suffer
Sustained minor injuries.
Support
The state of being supported
The candidate's support has been overwhelming.
Sustain
To affirm the validity of
The judge has sustained the prosecutor's objection.
Support
One that supports
How many supports does the bridge have?.
Sustain
A capacity of a musical instrument to continue the resounding of a note or tone.
Support
The provision of money or the necessities of life
Child support.
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.
Support
Help or advice offered to those encountering difficulties with a product or service.
Sustain
(transitive) To provide for or nourish.
Provisions to sustain an army
Support
(transitive) To keep from falling.
Don’t move that beam! It supports the whole platform.
Sustain
(transitive) To encourage or sanction (something). en
Support
(transitive) To answer questions and resolve problems regarding something sold.
Sure they sell the product, but do they support it?
Sustain
(transitive) To experience or suffer (an injury, etc.).
The building sustained major damage in the earthquake.
Support
(transitive) To back a cause, party, etc., mentally or with concrete aid.
I support France in the World Cup.
Sustain
(transitive) To confirm, prove, or corroborate; to uphold.
To sustain a charge, an accusation, or a proposition
Support
(transitive) To help, particularly financially.
The government supports the arts in several ways.
Sustain
To allow, accept, or admit (e.g. an objection or motion) as valid.
Support
To verify; to make good; to substantiate; to establish; to sustain.
The testimony is not sufficient to support the charges.
The evidence will not support the statements or allegations.
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.
Support
(transitive) To serve, as in a customer-oriented mindset; to give support to.
The IT Department supports the research organization, but not the sales force.
I don't make decisions, but I support those who do.
Sustain
To aid, comfort, or relieve; to vindicate.
Support
(transitive) To be designed (said of machinery, electronics, or computers, or their parts, accessories, peripherals, or programming) to function compatibly with or provide the capacity for.
Early personal computers did not support voice-recognition hardware or software.
Sustain
(music) A mechanism which can be used to hold a note, as the right pedal on a piano.
Support
(transitive) To be accountable for, or involved with, but not responsible for.
I support the administrative activities of the executive branch of the organization.
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.
Support
(archaic) To endure without being overcome; bear; undergo; to tolerate.
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.
Support
To assume and carry successfully, as the part of an actor; to represent or act; to sustain.
To support the character of King Lear
Sustain
To maintain; to keep alive; to support; to subsist; to nourish; as, provisions to sustain an army.
Support
Something which supports.
Don't move that beam! It's a support for the whole platform.
Sustain
To aid, comfort, or relieve; to vindicate.
His sons, who seek the tyrant to sustain.
Support
Financial or other help.
The government provides support to the arts in several ways.
Sustain
To endure without failing or yielding; to bear up under; as, to sustain defeat and disappointment.
Support
Answers to questions and resolution of problems regarding something sold.
Sure they sell the product, but do they provide support?
Sustain
To suffer; to bear; to undergo.
Shall Turnus, then, such endless toil sustain?
You shall sustain more new disgraces.
Support
(mathematics) in relation to a function, the set of points where the function is not zero, or the closure of that set.
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.
Support
(fuzzy set theory) A set whose elements are at least partially included in a given fuzzy set (i.e., whose grade of membership in that fuzzy set is strictly greater than zero).
If the membership function of a fuzzy set is continuous, then that fuzzy set's support is an open set.
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.
Support
Evidence.
The new research provides further support for our theory.
Sustain
One who, or that which, upholds or sustains; a sustainer.
I waked again, for my sustain was the Lord.
Support
(computing) Compatibility and functionality for a given product or feature.
This game has no mouse support.
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
Support
An actor playing a subordinate part with a star.
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
Support
An accompaniment in music.
Sustain
Provide with nourishment;
We sustained ourselves on bread and water
This kind of food is not nourishing for young children
Support
(gymnastics) support position
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
Support
(structural analysis) Horizontal, vertical or rotational support of structures: movable, hinged, fixed. en
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?
Support
To bear by being under; to keep from falling; to uphold; to sustain, in a literal or physical sense; to prop up; to bear the weight of; as, a pillar supports a structure; an abutment supports an arch; the trunk of a tree supports the branches.
Sustain
Admit as valid;
The court sustained the motion
Support
To endure without being overcome, exhausted, or changed in character; to sustain; as, to support pain, distress, or misfortunes.
This fierce demeanor and his insolenceThe patience of a god could not support.
Sustain
Establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts;
His story confirmed my doubts
The evidence supports the defendant
Support
To keep from failing or sinking; to solace under affictive circumstances; to assist; to encourage; to defend; as, to support the courage or spirits.
Sustain
To provide sustenance or nourishment.
These crops sustain the local community.
Support
To assume and carry successfully, as the part of an actor; to represent or act; to sustain; as, to support the character of King Lear.
Support
To furnish with the means of sustenance or livelihood; to maintain; to provide for; as, to support a family; to support the ministers of the gospel.
Support
To carry on; to enable to continue; to maintain; as, to support a war or a contest; to support an argument or a debate.
Support
To verify; to make good; to substantiate; to establish; to sustain; as, the testimony is not sufficient to support the charges; the evidence will not support the statements or allegations.
To urge such arguments, as though they were sufficient to support and demonstrate a whole scheme of moral philosophy.
Support
To vindicate; to maintain; to defend successfully; as, to be able to support one's own cause.
Support
To uphold by aid or countenance; to aid; to help; to back up; as, to support a friend or a party; to support the present administration.
Wherefore, bold pleasant,Darest thou support a published traitor?
Support
A attend as an honorary assistant; as, a chairman supported by a vice chairman; O'Connell left the prison, supported by his two sons.
Support
The act, state, or operation of supporting, upholding, or sustaining.
Support
That which upholds, sustains, or keeps from falling, as a prop, a pillar, or a foundation of any kind.
Support
That which maintains or preserves from being overcome, falling, yielding, sinking, giving way, or the like; subsistence; maintenance; assistance; reënforcement; as, he gave his family a good support, the support of national credit; the assaulting column had the support of a battery.
Support
The activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities;
His support kept the family together
They gave him emotional support during difficult times
Support
Aiding the cause or policy or interests of;
The president no longer had the support of his own party
They developed a scheme of mutual support
Support
Something providing immaterial support or assistance to a person or cause or interest;
The policy found little public support
His faith was all the support he needed
The team enjoyed the support of their fans
Support
A military operation (often involving new supplies of men and materiel) to strengthen a military force or aid in the performance of its mission;
They called for artillery support
Support
Documentary validation;
His documentation of the results was excellent
The strongest support for this this view is the work of Jones
Support
The financial means whereby one lives;
Each child was expected to pay for their keep
He applied to the state for support
He could no longer earn his own livelihood
Support
Supporting structure that holds up or provides a foundation;
The statue stood on a marble support
Support
The act of bearing the weight of or strengthening;
He leaned against the wall for support
Support
A subordinate musical part; provides background for more important parts
Support
Any device that bears the weight of another thing;
There was no place to attach supports for a shelf
Support
Financial resources provided to make some project possible;
The foundation provided support for the experiment
Support
Give moral or psychological support, aid, or courage to;
She supported him during the illness
Her children always backed her up
Support
Support materially or financially;
He does not support his natural children
The scholarship supported me when I was in college
Support
Be behind; approve of;
He plumped for the Labor Party
I backed Kennedy in 1960
Support
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?
Support
Establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts;
His story confirmed my doubts
The evidence supports the defendant
Support
Adopt as a belief;
I subscribe to your view on abortion
Support
Support with evidence or authority or make more certain or confirm;
The stories and claims were born out by the evidence
Support
Argue or speak in defense of;
She supported the motion to strike
Support
Play a subordinate role to (another performer);
Olivier supported Gielgud beautifully in the second act
Support
Be a regular customer or client of;
We patronize this store
Our sponsor kept our art studio going for as long as he could
Support
Put up with something or somebody unpleasant;
I cannot bear his constant criticism
The new secretary had to endure a lot of unprofessional remarks
He learned to tolerate the heat
She stuck out two years in a miserable marriage
Support
To bear the weight of.
The beams support the roof.
Support
To approve or be in favor of.
He supports the new policy.
Support
To provide for, especially financially.
He supports his family with his job.
Common Curiosities
Can "Support" and "Sustain" be used interchangeably?
Sometimes, but they have different nuances. "Support" implies assistance, while "Sustain" implies maintenance over time.
Is "Sustain" always about a long duration?
Typically, yes. "Sustain" often implies continuity or maintenance over a period.
Is "Supportive" related to "Support"?
Yes, it describes something or someone that offers support.
Does "Support" always imply a positive action?
Mostly, but context matters. One can support a negative action or idea as well.
Can an argument be "Supported" and "Sustained"?
Yes. "Supported" means it's backed by evidence, while "Sustained" means it holds up over scrutiny.
Is "Sustain" only used in positive contexts?
No. One can sustain injuries or losses, which are negative contexts.
How does "Sustain" relate to ecology?
It's often used in terms like "sustainable development," meaning practices that meet current needs without compromising future generations.
Can a person "Sustain" another person?
Not usually. "Support" is more appropriate for direct personal assistance.
Can "Support" refer to a physical structure?
Yes. E.g., A pillar supports a roof.
What's the adjective form of "Sustain"?
"Sustainable" is a common adjective form, often referring to practices that can be maintained over the long term.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
