1
as in preserves
to keep in good condition
he repairs and maintains antique cars as a hobby
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in defends
to continue to declare to be true or proper despite opposition or objections
part of debating is learning to maintain your position in the face of harsh challenges
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3
as in supports
to pay the living expenses of
we simply cannot afford to maintain a horse
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4
as in argues
to state (something) as a reason in support of or against something under consideration
she continued to maintain that a sewing machine would end up paying for itself since she could make her own clothes
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5
as in insists
to state as a fact usually forcefully
he maintains that there is indeed hard evidence for extraterrestrial visitors
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of maintains
The Athletic maintains full editorial independence.
—
Data Skrive, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2026
Gonzales has pleaded not guilty and his legal team maintains he's being scapegoated.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 7 Jan. 2026
Jeanty maintains his relationship with Crocs, having debuted a collaboration between the clog brand and Swarovski at the 2025 NFL Draft in April, when he was selected as the sixth overall pick following his college career at Boise State.
—Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 7 Jan. 2026
For travelers interested in exploring more than just free-entry parks, the National Park Service maintains a database of other sites, monuments, and memorials that don’t require a fee.
—Opheli Garcia Lawler, Travel + Leisure, 7 Jan. 2026
The Crested Butte Nordic Center maintains nearly 35 miles of trails that can be accessed with a $25 day pass.
—Jen Murphy, Outside, 7 Jan. 2026
The Observer maintains full editorial control of its journalism.
—Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 7 Jan. 2026
The administration maintains that the NCPC has jurisdiction over construction rather than demolition.
—Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 11 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maintains
Verb
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The lower temperature preserves fresh tomato flavor and natural color, yielding a paste that is brighter red, looser in texture, and cleaner-tasting.—
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And the January 6th Oral History Project Act preserves firsthand accounts so the truth of that day can never be erased or rewritten.—
Verb
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Reyes defends pay, confirms residency During the meeting, CBS News Miami asked about the nearly half-million-dollar salary attached to the position.—
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Because the anti-Trump side defends the rule of law, it can be drawn into legalistic objections that sound pettifogging and irrelevant.—
Verb
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Parents are encouraged to participate in their baby’s care through techniques like kangaroo care (skin-to-skin contact), which helps stabilize vital signs and supports development.—
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Beyond still photography, the sensor supports 8K video recording at 30 frames per second.—
Verb
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The White House argues this video shows Ross was hit by Good's car.—
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The addition of those provisions, the lawsuit argues, violated a requirement in the Missouri Constitution that laws only deal with one subject.—
Verb
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The strategy is designed to reshape the board that twice rejected Paramount’s bid and to rally investors behind a rival deal Ellison insists is superior on both value and risk.—
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However, Alex insists that’s impossible.—
Verb
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Vasopressin also conserves water by reducing urine output.—
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The new approach offers a dual solution that simultaneously conserves agricultural resources and produces a biodegradable alternative to address landfill waste.—
Verb
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Satisfy gets a lot of flack for its prices, but this running jacket justifies the price tag thanks to its effective modularity and (extremely) lightweight design.—
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While there are legitimate concerns throughout the Midwest about future reliability due to new data centers and their substantial power consumption, there is no looming emergency that justifies the administration’s action here.—
Verb
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Utopia Bedding Quilted Comforter This Utopia Bedding comforter keeps my bed looking super fluffy and cloud-like and gives my bedroom an expensive look.—
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Leave it to one of the best luggage brands to come out with a revolutionary zipper that is three times stronger than a traditional zipper, as well as an anti-microbial lining that keeps odor-causing bacteria from thriving.—
Cite this Entry
“Maintains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maintains. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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