Sustainable — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /sə-ˈstā-nə-bəl/ sus·tain·able

Meaning & Definition of Sustainable

Sustainable (adjective)

  1. capable of being sustained
  2. of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged
  3. of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods

Sustainable (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. capable of being defended with good reasoning against verbal attack

    "a line of argument that is probably not sustainable in a public forum against skilled debaters"

    similar: defendable, defensible, justifiable, maintainable, supportable, tenable
    related: rational, reasonable, sensible, well-grounded, acceptable, admissible, allowable, exceptionable, legitimate, passable, unobjectionable, viable, warrantable, confirmable, provable, verifiable, explainable, explicable
    opposite: indefensible, insupportable, unjustifiable, unsustainable, untenable
    near: absurd, illogical, irrational, ridiculous, unsound, extreme, outrageous, unreasonable, groundless, objectionable, unacceptable, unfounded, inexplicable, unexplainable

  2. capable of being proven as true or real

    "has no sustainable claim to the property without a deed or some other document"

    similar: checkable, confirmable, demonstrable, empirical, provable, supportable, verifiable
    related: certifiable, documentable, well-founded, defensible, excusable, justifiable, vindicable, warrantable, alleged, assumed, conjectured, guessed, presumed, surmised, suspected
    opposite: indemonstrable, insupportable, unprovable, unsupportable, unsustainable, unverifiable
    near: debatable, disprovable, disputable, refutable

  3. capable of being endured

    "the general didn't think that such heavy casualties could be sustainable for much longer"

    similar: bearable, endurable, sufferable, supportable, tolerable
    related: livable, survivable, acceptable, adequate, admissible, allowable, permissible, reasonable, satisfactory
    opposite: insufferable, insupportable, intolerable, unbearable, unendurable, unsupportable
    near: agonizing, appalling, awful, bad, cruel, dire, dreadful, excruciating, frightful, ghastly, grisly, gruesome, harrowing, harsh, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrid, horrifying, lurid, macabre, monstrous, nasty, nightmarish, painful, rotten, shocking, terrible, tormenting, torturous, unfortunate, vicious, vile, wretched, unacceptable, acute, extreme, intense, piercing, abhorrent, deplorable, disgusting, distasteful, loathsome, nauseating, obnoxious, offensive, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, sickening, abominable, evil, foul, heinous, noxious, odious, unspeakable

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Sustainable

The most common words with a similar meaning to Sustainable:

defendable, defensible, justifiable, maintainable, supportable, tenable, checkable, confirmable, demonstrable, empirical, provable, verifiable, bearable, endurable, sufferable, tolerable

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Sustainable

Words with the opposite meaning of Sustainable:

indefensible, insupportable, unjustifiable, unsustainable, untenable, indemonstrable, unprovable, unsupportable, unverifiable, insufferable, intolerable, unbearable, unendurable

Related Words for Sustainable

rational, reasonable, sensible, well-grounded, acceptable, admissible, allowable, exceptionable, legitimate, passable, unobjectionable, viable, warrantable, explainable, explicable, certifiable, documentable, well-founded, excusable, vindicable, alleged, assumed, conjectured, guessed, presumed, surmised, suspected, livable, survivable, adequate

Near Antonyms of Sustainable

absurd, illogical, irrational, ridiculous, unsound, extreme, outrageous, unreasonable, groundless, objectionable, unacceptable, unfounded, inexplicable, unexplainable, debatable, disprovable, disputable, refutable, agonizing, appalling, awful, bad, cruel, dire, dreadful, excruciating, frightful, ghastly, grisly, gruesome

Word Forms of Sustainable

Derived words: sustainability (noun), sustainably (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Sustainable

First known use: 1924

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Sustainable

Frequently Asked Questions about Sustainable

What does "Sustainable" mean?

"Sustainable" means capable of being sustained. As an adjective, it is defined as: capable of being sustained. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Sustainable"?

Other words for "Sustainable" include defendable, defensible, justifiable, maintainable, supportable, tenable, checkable and confirmable. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Sustainable" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Sustainable"?

There are 48 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Sustainable". Common alternatives include defendable, defensible, justifiable, maintainable, supportable, tenable, checkable, confirmable, demonstrable and empirical.

What is the opposite of "Sustainable"?

Antonyms of "Sustainable" include indefensible, insupportable, unjustifiable, unsustainable, untenable, indemonstrable, unprovable and unsupportable. Near antonyms include absurd, illogical, irrational and ridiculous.

How do you use "Sustainable" in a sentence?

Examples of "Sustainable" in a sentence: "a line of argument that is probably not sustainable in a public forum against skilled debaters"; "has no sustainable claim to the property without a deed or some other document"; "the general didn't think that such heavy casualties could be sustainable for much longer".

Is "Sustainable" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Sustainable" is an adjective.

Is "Sustainable" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B2-level word, "Sustainable" is typical of Cambridge B2 First (FCE), IELTS band 5.5–6.5, TOEFL iBT 72–94, PTE Academic 59–75, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Sustainable"?

"Sustainable" is pronounced /sə-ˈstā-nə-bəl/ and divided into syllables as sus·tain·able.