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Glite Dictionary
life-sustaining

life-sustaining

6 3.9
Needed for a person to stay alive
  • adjective
  • /ˈlaɪf səˌsteɪnɪŋ/
: esencial para la vida
  • But for the temple residents, the usual life-sustaining meal of rice and a vegetable suffices.
  • life-sustaining treatment
  • life-sustaining procedures
  • decisions about life-sustaining

Examples

  • A day in the life of a rangeland plant is marked by fierce competition for life-sustaining water.

    Academic text (2003)

  • All clearly stated that they did not want life-sustaining treatment under certain conditions; however, the conditions were not always specified.

    Academic text (1995)

  • But you would not believe the type of life these life-sustaining treatments often allow.

    Blog text (20)

  • Her milk was her own blood, her own life-sustaining fluid.

    Academic text (1994)

  • Almost three in four respondents said that they helped families clarify their thoughts about life-sustaining treatment choices.

    Academic text (2006)

  • Persons able to direct their care must give informed consent to withdrawing or withholding life-sustaining treatment.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Hence, social workers are trusted and relied upon as families make decisions regarding life-sustaining treatment, finances, and long-term care planning.

    Academic text (2007)

  • In many parts of the country, water is considered a life-sustaining public resource.

  • Across the planet, more than a billion tons of essential, nutritious, life-sustaining food go to waste each year.

  • Delorenzo Turner, 20, needs Medicaid to pay for life-sustaining kidney dialysis treatment three times a week.

Synonyms

vital
vslife-sustaining
405 3.5

Necessary for life or for something to succeed

is specific to what keeps someone alive rather than general importance
life-support
vslife-sustaining
  • Specialized
20 3.8

Used for machines or methods that keep a very sick person alive

is the general quality of being essential to continued existence not specific tools
lifesaving
vslife-sustaining
17 3.5

That stops death or serious harm in emergencies

is about being essential for ongoing survival rather than emergency rescue
life-giving
vslife-sustaining
11 4.8

Keeps people, animals and plants alive, like rain or sunlight that helps them grow

is about being necessary to maintain continued existence rather than providing nourishment

Antonyms

life-threatening
89 4.3

Dangerous enough to cause death

nonessential
1 5.6

A thing that is not needed

How Life-Sustaining

essential
49 2.4
life-sustaining
6 3.9
supportive
335 2.8
helpful
722 1.0
vital
405 3.5

Surface Forms

life-sustaining positive

Morphology

life-sustaining = life + sustaining (transparent) = life + sustain + ing

A straightforward compound of 'life' + 'sustaining' (sustain + -ing); the meaning 'supporting life' is directly predictable from the parts.

Etymology

The word life-sustaining is made of life and sustain, where sustain means 'hold up' or 'support'. So, life-sustaining is something that 'holds up' life — it keeps a person alive or helps survival.