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
Synonyms
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
Annual spending for home renovation and maintenance is projected to hit $477 billion through the third quarter of 2025, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University released in October.
—Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025
Protein is a nutrient that's essential for muscle growth and maintenance, metabolism regulation, and a healthy immune system.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 31 Dec. 2024
Officials have suggested the plane’s landing gear malfunctioned before landing, despite there being no signs of malfunction during maintenance checks before the plane departed from Bangkok, according to Kim E-bae, Jeju Air’s CEO.
—Ty Roush, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
By the time the handover was completed on Dec. 31, 1999, Panamanians had developed the skills and expertise to assume full responsibility for the management, operation and maintenance of the Panama Canal and the Canal Zone.
—Rolando Arrieta, NPR, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for maintenance 
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Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025
Protein is a nutrient that's essential for muscle growth and maintenance, metabolism regulation, and a healthy immune system.
—Daryl Austin, USA TODAY, 31 Dec. 2024
Officials have suggested the plane’s landing gear malfunctioned before landing, despite there being no signs of malfunction during maintenance checks before the plane departed from Bangkok, according to Kim E-bae, Jeju Air’s CEO.
—Ty Roush, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
By the time the handover was completed on Dec. 31, 1999, Panamanians had developed the skills and expertise to assume full responsibility for the management, operation and maintenance of the Panama Canal and the Canal Zone.
—Rolando Arrieta, NPR, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for maintenance
Dictionary Entries Near maintenance
Cite this Entry
“Maintenance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maintenance. Accessed 5 Jan. 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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