maintain
[verb]
Synonyms:
- keep up, carry on, continue, perpetuate, preserve, prolong, retain, sustain
- support, care for, look after, provide for, supply, take care of
- assert, avow, claim, contend, declare, insist, profess, state

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Contrasted words: disregard, ignore, neglect, omit, overlook, slight, contradict, deny, gainsay, traverse, challenge, query, question
Related Words: husband, manage, care (for), cultivate, guard, protect, affirm, aver, avouch, avow, declare, profess, protest, emphasize, insist, persist, stress, correct, rectify, right

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English Thesaurus: claim, allege, maintain, insist, assert, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

main‧tain S2 W1 AC /meɪnˈteɪn, mən-/ verb [transitive]
[Word Family: verb: maintain; noun: maintenance]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: maintenir, from Latin manu tenere 'to hold in the hand']

1. MAKE SOMETHING CONTINUE to make something continue in the same way or at the same standard as before:
Careers Officers maintain contact with young people when they have left school.
Britain wants to maintain its position as a world power.
A lot depends on building and maintaining a good relationship with your customers.
The hotel prides itself on maintaining high standards.
How can we maintain control of spending?

2. LEVEL/RATE to make a level or rate of activity, movement etc stay the same:
It is important to maintain a constant temperature inside the greenhouse.
This is the most efficient way to build up and maintain a reasonable level of physical fitness.

3. SAY to strongly express your belief that something is true Synonym : claim
maintain (that)
Critics maintain that these reforms will lead to a decline in educational standards.
maintain your innocence (=say that you did not commit a crime)
He maintained his innocence and said the allegations were ‘ridiculous’.

4. LOOK AFTER SOMETHING to keep a machine, building etc in good condition by checking and repairing it regularly:
The report found that safety equipment had been very poorly maintained.
The company is responsible for maintaining public telephone boxes.

5. PROVIDE MONEY/FOOD to provide someone with the things they need, such as money or food Synonym : provide for:
How can you maintain a family on $900 a month?

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

maintain
verb
I. keep sth at the same level
VERB + MAINTAIN be anxious to, want to We are anxious to maintain our close links with the police.
have to, need to | strive to, try to | help (to) | be able to | be difficult to The government's position became increasingly difficult to maintain.
PHRASES the duty/need to maintain sth He emphasized the need to maintain the status quo.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

maintain
II. keep sth in good condition
ADV. properly, well | poorly a poorly maintained central heating system
VERB + MAINTAIN be difficult to | be easy to
PHRASES be responsible for maintaining sth

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

claim to say that something is true, even though it has not been proved:
He claims that he didn’t see anything.
She claims to be a descendant of Charles Dickens.
allege to claim that someone did something wrong or illegal, although you do not give any proof:
It is alleged that he murdered his wife.
Patients allege that the two firms failed to warn doctors about the dangers of taking the drugs over a long period.
maintain to repeatedly say that something is true, especially when other people do not believe you:
He continued to maintain his innocence, even after he was sent to prison.
My mother always maintains that I learned to talk at six months.
insist to say very firmly that something is true:
She insists that Tom was there, although he denies it.
Turkey insists that there is more than enough water in the two rivers for all three countries.
assert formal to state that something is true – used especially in formal writing when reporting someone’s opinion:
They assert that children work better on their own.
The Environment Minister asserted that one third of the country’s cities had major pollution problems.
contend formal to claim that something is true, especially when other people disagree with you:
Lawyers contend that his back problems were due to an existing injury, not the accident.
It is possible, as Kennedy contends, that her medical condition is caused by her work.
false
His claims were later found to be false.
unfounded/unsubstantiated (=not based on truth or evidence)
These claims of discrimination are completely unfounded.
extravagant claims (=clearly not true)
Some manufacturers make extravagant claims for their products.
competing claims
the competing claims of the political parties
conflicting claims (=saying that different things are true)
The reports contained conflicting claims of the number of people killed.
make a claim
He made extravagant claims about the benefits of the diet.
deny a claim (=say it is not true)
Government officials denied claims that the country possessed chemical weapons.
dispute/reject a claim (=say it is not true)
The Prime Minister rejected claims of a disagreement within his party.
support a claim
The court found no evidence to support her claim.
back up a claim (=support it)
They challenged him to back up his claims with evidence.
accept a claim
Many scientists were reluctant to accept his claims.
challenge a claim (=say that you do not believe it is true)
Washington continued to challenge the claim that global warming is partly caused by carbon dioxide.
investigate a claim
Detectives are investigating claims that the two officials took bribes.
allegation a statement that someone has done something wrong or illegal, but that has not been proved:
He has strongly denied the allegations of sexual harassment.
assertion formal something that you say or write that you strongly believe:
the assertion that house prices are falling
contention formal a strong opinion that someone expresses:
Her main contention is that doctors should do more to encourage healthy eating.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲