sustainable
suh-STAY-nuh-bul
/səˈsteɪ.nə.bəl/
Able to be maintained at a certain rate or level without depleting natural resources or causing ecological damage.
Balances operational durability with long-term ecological preservation.
The story behind the word. Combines Latin 'sub-' (up from below) and 'tenere' (to hold). Thus, 'sustain' literally means 'to hold up from underneath'. Ecological movements adapted 'sustainable' in the 1970s to describe practices that do not destroy Earth's support systems.
Word relationships
- viable: Focuses on whether a plan can succeed operationally, regardless of long-term environmental balance.
- renewable: Refers specifically to energy sources that replenish naturally.
- unsustainable: Not capable of being prolonged without depleting resources or causing systemic collapse.
- depleting: Exhausting finite supplies completely.
Commonly confused with
- renewable: Renewable refers to self-replenishing natural energy; sustainable describes practices that endure indefinitely without harm.
Word family
- sustain (verb): To support, hold up, or cause to continue.
- sustainability (noun): The quality of being sustainable over time.
Collocations
- sustainable development
- sustainable energy
- sustainable growth
- environmentally sustainable
Example sentences
- " sustainable urban development ensures current energy growth does not compromise the natural resources of future generations." Urban policy speech
- "Transitioning to rainwater harvesting provides a sustainable water supply for city parks during summer droughts." Resource management plan
Memory hook
SUSTAINABLE practices SUSTAIN (hold up) our collective future. Built to last without draining the well dry.
When not to use
Do not use to describe temporary quick fixes that cannot be maintained long term.
Fun facts
- The formal international definition of 'sustainable development' was established in 1987 by the UN Brundtland Commission report 'Our Common Future'.
Related words
Explore more words
sustainability, sustain, unsustainable, sustained, regenerative, durable
Also appears in
- Business → Work-Life Balance
- Nature → Renewable Energy & Sustainability
- Nature → Climate Change Mitigation
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → Sustainable Agriculture & Farming
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → E-Waste & Technological Disposal
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → Marine Ecology
- Environmental Policy & Sustainability Economics → Eco-Tourism & Travel
- Food Science & Culinary Craft → Organic Farming Practices
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