sustainability

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The practice of using natural resources in a way that meets present needs without using them up or harming the environment for future generations.

   Grammar: Uncountable: We care about sustainability, not a sustainability.

   Patterns

   • sustainability of something
   • focus on sustainability
   • sustainability goals

   The company has made sustainability a core part of its business plan.

   Farmers are rethinking water use to improve the long-term sustainability of the region.

   Our school runs a sustainability club that organizes recycling drives.

2. 2noununcountable

   The ability of something, such as a plan, project or level of spending, to be kept going over a long period.

   Grammar: Often followed by of: the sustainability of the pension system.

   Patterns

   • sustainability of something
   • question the sustainability of something

   Economists doubt the sustainability of such rapid growth.

   The charity worried about the sustainability of its programs once the grant ended.

   The sustainability of the debt depends on interest rates.

Common combinations

environmental sustainability

The report ranks cities by environmental sustainability.

long-term sustainability

We must think about long-term sustainability, not just this year's profit.

promote sustainability

The new law aims to promote sustainability in construction.

financial sustainability

Rising costs threaten the hospital's financial sustainability.

sustainability report

The firm publishes an annual sustainability report.

Synonyms and how they differ

viability

Viability asks whether something can work or survive at all, while sustainability asks whether it can keep going without being exhausted.

durability

Durability describes how long a physical object lasts, but sustainability concerns resources and systems over time.

eco-friendliness

Eco-friendliness is a looser, more casual term about being kind to the environment, whereas sustainability implies long-term balance.

Opposites

Word family

sustain verb

To keep something going over time.

sustainable adjective

Able to be continued without causing lasting damage or running out.

sustainably adverb

In a way that can be continued without damage.

unsustainable adjective

Impossible to keep up over time.

Commonly confused: sustainability or sustenance?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “sustainability”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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