sustainable
adjective
sus·tain·able
sə-ˈstā-nə-bəl 
1
: capable of being sustained
sustainable growth
a sustainable business model
And the ratings spike did not prove sustainable for the rest of the evening.—
Brian Steinberg
Brian Steinberg2
a
: of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged
sustainable techniques
sustainable agriculture
The study reflects a broadening search for more climate-friendly sustainable protein sources.—Ashley Miznazi
Ashley Miznazi
b
: of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods
a sustainable society
a sustainable future
… the most sustainable garment is one that already exists.—Angela Velasquez
Angela Velasquez
sustainability
noun
… several boards throughout the state that focus on green building and sustainability.
—Melissa Followell
Melissa Followell
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
Recent Examples on the Web
Alex Pavlak is a professional engineer, Severna Park resident and the chair of the Future of Energy Initiative, whose mission is to facilitate the development of sustainable, affordable, clean energy systems.
—Alex Pavlak, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2026
After the talk, attendees browsed eight types of sustainable materials used by McCartney.
—Violet Goldstone, Footwear News, 1 Feb. 2026
This time the crunch came because spending fueled by the post-pandemic economic recovery was not sustainable when revenue plummeted just a few years later — but the state budget has long gone through similar boom-and-bust cycles.
—Lanhee J. Chen, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
The result is a faster, greener process that significantly lowers energy and solvent consumption while delivering high yields and exceptional purity, making large-scale Duzhong rubber production more practical and sustainable.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sustainable
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Alex Pavlak, Baltimore Sun, 1 Feb. 2026
After the talk, attendees browsed eight types of sustainable materials used by McCartney.
—Violet Goldstone, Footwear News, 1 Feb. 2026
This time the crunch came because spending fueled by the post-pandemic economic recovery was not sustainable when revenue plummeted just a few years later — but the state budget has long gone through similar boom-and-bust cycles.
—Lanhee J. Chen, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
The result is a faster, greener process that significantly lowers energy and solvent consumption while delivering high yields and exceptional purity, making large-scale Duzhong rubber production more practical and sustainable.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 31 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sustainable
Cite this Entry
“Sustainable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sustainable. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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