sustenance

sustenances

Sustenance comes from the word sustain, which means to continue. Sustenance is food or drink that allows you to continue to be alive. For many, prayer is a source of spiritual sustenance.

If your chief source of sustenance is candy, you are going to get sick, but you will have a good time while it lasts. In much of the world, rice and beans provide sustenance to human beings. In the US, Native Americans taught Europeans how to grow corn, which turned into a major source of sustenance for their population.

Definitions of sustenance

noun
the act of sustaining life by food or providing a means of subsistence

“they were in want of sustenance”

synonyms: maintenance, sustainment, sustentation, upkeep

see moresee less

type of:
support
the activity of providing for or maintaining by supplying with money or necessities
noun
a source of materials to nourish the body

synonyms: aliment, alimentation, nourishment, nutriment, nutrition, victuals

see moresee less

types:
show 186 types...

hide 186 types...

milk
produced by mammary glands of female mammals for feeding their young

course
part of a meal served at one time

dainty, delicacy, goody, kickshaw, treat
something considered choice to eat

dish
a particular item of prepared food

fast food
inexpensive food (hamburgers or chicken or milkshakes) prepared and served quickly

finger food
food to be eaten with the fingers

ingesta
solid and liquid nourishment taken into the body through the mouth

kosher
food that fulfills the requirements of Jewish dietary law

meal, repast
the food served and eaten at one time

mess
soft semiliquid food

mince
food chopped into small bits

puree
food prepared by cooking and straining or processed in a blender

stodge
heavy and filling (and usually starchy) food

wheat germ
embryo of the wheat kernel; removed before milling and eaten as a source of vitamins

vitamin
any of a group of organic substances essential in small quantities to normal metabolism

mother's milk
milk secreted by a woman who has recently given birth

colostrum, foremilk
milky fluid secreted for the first day or two after parturition

mess
a meal eaten in a mess hall by service personnel

square meal
a substantial and nourishing meal

potluck
whatever happens to be available especially when offered to an unexpected guest or when brought by guests and shared by all

refection
a light meal or repast

breakfast
the first meal of the day (usually in the morning)

brunch
combination breakfast and lunch; usually served in late morning

dejeuner, lunch, luncheon, tiffin
a midday meal

afternoon tea, tea, teatime
a light midafternoon meal of tea and sandwiches or cakes

dinner
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday

supper
a light evening meal; served in early evening if dinner is at midday or served late in the evening at bedtime

buffet
a meal set out on a buffet at which guests help themselves

picnic
any informal meal eaten outside or on an excursion

bite, collation, snack
a light informal meal

nosh-up
a large satisfying meal

ploughman's lunch
a meal consisting of a sandwich of bread and cheese and a salad

banquet, feast, spread
a meal that is well prepared and greatly enjoyed

entree, main course
the principal dish of a meal

piece de resistance
the most important dish of a meal

adobo
a dish of marinated vegetables and meat or fish; served with rice

entremets, side dish, side order
a dish that is served with, but is subordinate to, a main course

special
a dish or meal given prominence in e.g. a restaurant

casserole
food cooked and served in a casserole

appetiser, appetizer, starter
food or drink to stimulate the appetite (usually served before a meal or as the first course)

soup
liquid food especially of meat or fish or vegetable stock often containing pieces of solid food

stew
food prepared by stewing especially meat or fish with vegetables

paella
saffron-flavored dish made of rice with shellfish and chicken

viand
a choice or delicious dish

choice morsel, tidbit, titbit
a small tasty bit of food

savory, savoury
an aromatic or spicy dish served at the end of dinner or as an hors d'oeuvre

confection, sweet
a food rich in sugar

afters, dessert, sweet
a dish served as the last course of a meal

ambrosia, nectar
(classical mythology) the food and drink of the gods; mortals who ate it became immortal

mousse
a light creamy dish made from fish or meat and set with gelatin

pudding
any of various soft thick unsweetened baked dishes

custard
sweetened mixture of milk and eggs baked or boiled or frozen

turnover
a dish made by folding a piece of pastry over a filling

timbale
individual serving of minced e.g. meat or fish in a rich creamy sauce baked in a small pastry mold or timbale shell

fish finger, fish stick
a long fillet of fish breaded and fried

gelatin, jelly
an edible jelly (sweet or pungent) made with gelatin and used as a dessert or salad base or a coating for foods

buffalo wing
crisp spicy chicken wings

barbecued wing
chicken wings cooked in barbecue sauce

barbecue, barbeque
meat that has been barbecued or grilled in a highly seasoned sauce

biriani, biryani
an Indian dish made with highly seasoned rice and meat or fish or vegetables

escalope de veau Orloff
lightly sauteed veal cutlets spread with a Soubise sauce and liver paste then sprinkled with grated Parmesan and baked briefly

saute
a dish of sauteed food

cake, patty
small flat mass of chopped food

veal parmesan, veal parmigiana
sauteed veal cutlet in a breadcrumb-and-cheese coating served with tomato sauce

veal cordon bleu
thin slices of veal stuffed with cheese and ham and then sauteed

sandwich plate
a serving consisting of a sandwich or sandwiches with garnishes

snack food
food for light meals or for eating between meals

salad
food mixtures either arranged on a plate or tossed and served with a moist dressing; usually consisting of or including greens

curry
(East Indian cookery) a pungent dish of vegetables or meats flavored with curry powder and usually eaten with rice

apple sauce, applesauce
puree of stewed apples usually sweetened and spiced

boiled egg, coddled egg
egg cooked briefly in the shell in gently boiling water

dropped egg, poached egg
egg cooked in gently boiling water

scrambled eggs
eggs beaten and cooked to a soft firm consistency while stirring

deviled egg, stuffed egg
halved hard-cooked egg with the yolk mashed with mayonnaise and seasonings and returned to the white

baked egg, egg en cocotte, shirred egg
egg cooked individually in cream or butter in a small ramekin

omelet, omelette
beaten eggs or an egg mixture cooked until just set; may be folded around e.g. ham or cheese or jelly

souffle
light fluffy dish of egg yolks and stiffly beaten egg whites mixed with e.g. cheese or fish or fruit

fried egg
eggs cooked by sauteing in oil or butter; sometimes turned and cooked on both sides

coq au vin
chicken and onions and mushrooms braised in red wine and seasonings

chicken provencale
chicken cooked in a sauce made with tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil

chicken and rice
rice and chicken cooked together with or without other ingredients and variously seasoned

moo goo gai pan
a Cantonese dish of chicken and sauteed vegetables

bacon and eggs
eggs (fried or scrambled) served with bacon

barbecued spareribs, spareribs
baked or roasted with a spicy sauce

beef Bourguignonne, boeuf Bourguignonne
beef and mushrooms and onions stewed in red wine and seasonings

beef Wellington, filet de boeuf en croute
rare-roasted beef tenderloin coated with mushroom paste in puff pastry

bitok
a Russian dish made with patties of ground meat (mixed with onions and bread and milk) and served with a sauce of sour cream

New England boiled dinner, boiled dinner
corned beef simmered with onions and cabbage and usually other vegetables

Boston baked beans
dried navy beans baked slowly with molasses and salt pork

bubble and squeak
leftover cabbage fried with cooked potatoes and sometimes meat

pasta
a dish that contains pasta as its main ingredient

Belgian beef stew, carbonnade flamande
beef stewed in beer seasoned with garlic and served with boiled potatoes

chicken Marengo
braised chicken with onions and mushrooms in a wine and tomato sauce

chicken cordon bleu
thin slices of chicken stuffed with cheese and ham and then sauteed

Maryland chicken
chicken fried than oven-baked and served with milk gravy

chicken paprika, chicken paprikash
chicken simmered in broth with onions and paprika then mixed with sour cream

Tetrazzini
a pasta dish with cream sauce and mushrooms

chicken Kiev
pounded chicken cutlets rolled around butter (that has been seasoned with herbs) and then covered with crumbs and fried

chili, chili con carne
ground beef and chili peppers or chili powder often with tomatoes and kidney beans

chop suey
meat or fish stir-fried with vegetables (e.g., celery, onions, peppers or bean sprouts) seasoned with ginger and garlic and soy sauce; served with rice; created in the United States and frequently served in Chinese restaurants there

chow mein
chop suey served with fried noodles

coquille
seafood served in a scallop shell

coquilles Saint-Jacques
scallops in white wine sauce served in scallop shells

croquette
minced cooked meats or vegetables formed into patties, breaded, and deep-fried

cottage pie
a dish of minced meat topped with mashed potatoes

rissole
minced cooked meat or fish coated in egg and breadcrumbs and fried in deep fat

dolmas, stuffed grape leaves
well-seasoned rice (with nuts or currants or minced lamb) simmered or braised in stock

egg roll, spring roll
minced vegetables and meat wrapped in a pancake and fried

eggs Benedict
toasted English muffin topped with ham and a poached egg (or an oyster) and hollandaise sauce

enchilada
tortilla with meat filling baked in tomato sauce seasoned with chili

falafel, felafel
small croquette of mashed chick peas or fava beans seasoned with sesame seeds

fish and chips
fried fish and french-fried potatoes

fondu, fondue
hot cheese or chocolate melted to the consistency of a sauce into which bread or fruits are dipped

fondu, fondue
cubes of meat or seafood cooked in hot oil and then dipped in any of various sauces

French toast
bread slice dipped in egg and milk and fried; topped with sugar or fruit or syrup

Chinese fried rice, fried rice
boiled rice mixed with scallions and minced pork or shrimp and quickly scrambled with eggs

frittata
Italian omelet with diced vegetables and meats; cooked until bottom is set then inverted into another pan to cook the top

frog legs
hind legs of frogs used as food; resemble chicken and cooked as chicken

galantine
boned poultry stuffed then cooked and covered with aspic; served cold

fish ball, gefilte fish
well-seasoned balls of ground fish and eggs and crushed crumbs simmered in fish stock

haggis
made of sheep's or calf's viscera minced with oatmeal and suet and onions and boiled in the animal's stomach

ham and eggs
eggs (scrambled or fried) served with ham

hash
chopped meat mixed with potatoes and browned

jambalaya
spicy Creole dish of rice and ham, sausage, chicken, or shellfish with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and celery

kabob, kebab, shish kebab
cubes of meat marinated and cooked on a skewer usually with vegetables

kedgeree
a dish of rice and hard-boiled eggs and cooked flaked fish

seafood Newburg
seafood in Newburg sauce served on toast or rice

lobster thermidor
diced lobster mixed with Mornay sauce placed back in the shell and sprinkled with grated cheese and browned

lutefisk, lutfisk
dried cod soaked in a lye solution before boiling to give it a gelatinous consistency

macedoine
mixed diced fruits or vegetables; hot or cold

meatball
ground meat formed into a ball and fried or simmered in broth

meat loaf, meatloaf
a baked loaf of ground meat

moussaka
casserole of eggplant and ground lamb with onion and tomatoes bound with white sauce and beaten eggs

osso buco
sliced veal knuckle or shin bone cooked with olive oil and wine and tomatoes and served with rice or vegetables

bone marrow, marrow
very tender and very nutritious tissue from marrowbones

pheasant under glass
a dish of roast pheasant served in a manner characteristic of expensive restaurants

pilaf, pilaff, pilau, pilaw
rice cooked in well-seasoned broth with onions or celery and usually poultry or game or shellfish and sometimes tomatoes

pizza, pizza pie
Italian open pie made of thin bread dough spread with a spiced mixture of e.g. tomato sauce and cheese

poi
Hawaiian dish of taro root pounded to a paste and often allowed to ferment

pork and beans
dried beans cooked with pork and tomato sauce

porridge
soft food made by boiling oatmeal or other meal or legumes in water or milk until thick

potpie
deep-dish meat and vegetable pie or a meat stew with dumplings

rijstafel, rijstaffel, rijsttaffel
dish originating in Indonesia; a wide variety of foods and sauces are served with rice

Italian rice, risotto
rice cooked with broth and sprinkled with grated cheese

roulade
a dish consisting of a slice of meat that is rolled around a filling and cooked

Salisbury steak
ground beef patty usually with a sauce

sauerbraten
pot roast marinated several days in seasoned vinegar before cooking; usually served with potato dumplings

sauerkraut
shredded cabbage fermented in brine

scallopine, scallopini
sauteed cutlets (usually veal or poultry) that have been pounded thin and coated with flour

scampi
large shrimp sauteed in oil or butter and garlic

Scotch egg
hard-cooked egg encased in sausage meat then breaded and deep-fried

Scotch woodcock
creamy scrambled eggs on toast spread with anchovy paste

scrapple
scraps of meat (usually pork) boiled with cornmeal and shaped into loaves for slicing and frying

spaghetti and meatballs
spaghetti with meatballs in a tomato sauce

Spanish rice
spicy rice with tomatoes and onions and green peppers

cannibal mound, steak tartare, tartar steak
ground beef mixed with raw egg and e.g. onions and capers and anchovies; eaten raw

pepper steak
strips of steak sauteed with green peppers and onions

pepper steak, peppered steak, steak au poivre
steak covered with crushed peppercorns pan-broiled and served with brandy-and-butter sauce

beef Stroganoff
sauteed strips of beef and mushrooms in sour cream sauce served with noodles

stuffed cabbage
parboiled head of cabbage scooped out and filled with a hash of chopped e.g. beef or ham and baked; served with tomato or cheese sauce

kishke, stuffed derma
(Judaism) roasted fowl intestines with a seasoned filling of matzo meal and suet

stuffed peppers
parboiled green peppers stuffed usually with rice and meat and baked briefly

hot stuffed tomato, stuffed tomato
tomato cases filled with various mixtures and baked briefly

cold stuffed tomato, stuffed tomato
tomato cases filled with various salad mixtures and served cold

succotash
fresh corn and lima beans with butter or cream

sukiyaki
thin beef strips (or chicken or pork) cooked briefly at the table with onions and greens and soy sauce

sashimi
very thinly sliced raw fish

sushi
rice (with raw fish) wrapped in seaweed

Swiss steak
steak braised in tomato and onion mixture

tamale
corn and cornmeal dough stuffed with a meat mixture then wrapped in corn husks and steamed

tamale pie
a meat mixture covered with cornbread topping that resembles a Mexican dish

tempura
vegetables and seafood dipped in batter and deep-fried

teriyaki
beef or chicken or seafood marinated in spicy soy sauce and grilled or broiled

terrine
a pate or fancy meatloaf baked in an earthenware casserole

Welsh rabbit, Welsh rarebit, rarebit
cheese melted with ale or beer served over toast

Wiener schnitzel, schnitzel
deep-fried breaded veal cutlets

taco
a tortilla rolled cupped around a filling

burrito
a flour tortilla folded around a filling

tostada
a flat tortilla with various fillings piled on it

frijoles refritos, refried beans
dried beans cooked and mashed and then fried in lard with various seasonings

couscous
a spicy dish that originated in northern Africa; consists of pasta steamed with a meat and vegetable stew

ramekin, ramequin
a cheese dish made with egg and bread crumbs that is baked and served in individual fireproof dishes

mold, mould
a dish or dessert that is formed in or on a mold

fat-soluble vitamin
any vitamin that is soluble in fats

water-soluble vitamin
any vitamin that is soluble in water

dal
an Indian stew made of simmered lentils or other legumes

type of:
food, nutrient
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
noun
the financial means whereby one lives

synonyms: bread and butter, keep, livelihood, living, support

see moresee less

types:
show 4 types...

hide 4 types...

amenities, comforts, conveniences, creature comforts
things that make you comfortable and at ease

maintenance
means of maintenance of a family or group

meal ticket
a source of income or livelihood

subsistence
minimal (or marginal) resources for subsisting

type of:
resource
available source of wealth; a new or reserve supply that can be drawn upon when needed

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘sustenance'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback

Word Family

Look up a word, learn it forever.

sustenance

Learn with us

Teach with us

Resources

Leaderboards

About

sustenance

Vocabulary lists containing sustenance

Look up sustenance for the last time

Sign up now (it’s free!)

Whether you’re a teacher or a learner, Vocabulary.com can put you or your class on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.