maintenance
noun
main·te·nance
ˈmānt-nən(t)s 
ˈmān-tə-nən(t)s
1
: the act of maintaining : the state of being maintained : support
The building has suffered from years of poor maintenance.
2
: something that maintains
at least half of them are living parasitically on the other half instead of producing maintenance for themselves—
G. B. Shaw
G. B. Shaw3
: the upkeep of property or equipment
the maintenance of the school
4
: an officious or unlawful intermeddling in a legal suit by assisting either party with means to carry it on
Examples of maintenance in a Sentence
Soon he could take an Underwood apart and put it together blindfolded, a trick that won him the account for maintenance of all the typewriters at Columbia-Presbyterian hospital …
—Ian Frazier, Atlantic, November 1997
The building has suffered from years of poor maintenance.
the costs of routine car maintenance
maintenance of law and order
money for the family's maintenance
Ian Frazier, Atlantic, November 1997
The building has suffered from years of poor maintenance.
the costs of routine car maintenance
maintenance of law and order
money for the family's maintenance
Recent Examples on the Web
Loading your audio article The head of the Transport Workers Union is asking the feds to change a rule and allow federal funding to be used for the MTA’s operational expenses — like worker salaries and some safety and maintenance projects.
—Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025
Trump’s executive order comes as the Republican National Committee launched a massive effort to probe voter registration list maintenance nationwide.
—Christina A. Cassidy, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2025
They are used for weapons loading and maintenance training due to commonality with the F-15EX jets.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
Eight years ago, the Legislature and then-Gov. Jerry Brown enacted a big increase in gas taxes and license fees that raises more than $5 billion a year for rehabilitation and maintenance.
—Calmatters, Orange County Register, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maintenance
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Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2025
Trump’s executive order comes as the Republican National Committee launched a massive effort to probe voter registration list maintenance nationwide.
—Christina A. Cassidy, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2025
They are used for weapons loading and maintenance training due to commonality with the F-15EX jets.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
Eight years ago, the Legislature and then-Gov. Jerry Brown enacted a big increase in gas taxes and license fees that raises more than $5 billion a year for rehabilitation and maintenance.
—Calmatters, Orange County Register, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for maintenance
Cite this Entry
“Maintenance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maintenance. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
maintenance
noun
main·te·nance
ˈmānt-nən(t)s
-ᵊn-ən(t)s
1
: the act of maintaining : the state of being maintained
maintenance of law and order
money for the family's maintenance
2
: something that maintains
3
: the care of property or equipment
workers in charge of maintenance
Medical Definition
maintenance
adjective
main·te·nance
ˈmānt-nən(t)s, -ᵊn-ən(t)s
: designed or adequate to maintain a patient in a stable condition : serving to maintain a gradual process of healing or to prevent a relapse
a maintenance dose
maintenance chemotherapy
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