maintain
/meɪnˈteɪn/ IELTSAcademic
verb
- 1.
To keep something in good condition or working order. It means you continue caring for it so it does not become worse.
- We must maintain the machine carefully.
- She maintains her car very well.
- 2.
To continue to have something, or keep it at the same level. It is often used for standards, speed, control, or relationships.
- They maintain high standards in the school.
- He tried to maintain calm during the meeting.
- 3.
To say something is true and keep saying it. This use is common in formal writing and reporting.
- The company maintains that it is innocent.
- She maintains she never saw the letter.
Adinary Nuance
Maintain is more formal and precise than keep or hold. Use it when you mean continued control, care, or a stated claim. It often sounds right in academic, business, and official English, while keep is more everyday.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- duy trì
- Spanish
- mantener
- Chinese
- 维持
- Japanese
- 維持する
- Korean
- 유지하다
Etymology
From Latin maintenere, meaning “hold up” or “keep in hand,” through Old French. It entered English in the late Middle Ages.
Common phrases
maintain ordermaintain standardsmaintain a balancemaintain contact
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is maintain formal or informal?
- It is fairly formal. People use it often in writing, school, business, and official speech.
- What is the difference between maintain and keep?
- Keep is more general and everyday. Maintain often means continue carefully, control something, or state something firmly.
- Can I say maintain a car or maintain a building?
- Yes. It means to look after it so it stays in good condition.
- How do I use maintain in a sentence?
- You can say, “We maintain high standards” or “They maintain that the report is correct.”