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Glite Dictionary
life-sustaining

life-sustaining

5 3.9
Needed for a person to stay alive
  • adjective
  • /ˈlaɪf səˌsteɪnɪŋ/
translation icon : 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
403 3.5

Necessary for life or for something to succeed

is specific to what keeps someone alive rather than general importance
life-giving
vslife-sustaining
9 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
life-support
vslife-sustaining
  • Specialized
6 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
6 3.5

That stops death or serious harm in emergencies

is about being essential for ongoing survival rather than emergency rescue

Antonyms

life-threatening
66 4.3

Dangerous enough to cause death

nonessential
1 5.6

A thing that is not needed

How Life-Sustaining

essential
50 2.4
life-sustaining
5 3.9
supportive
348 2.8
helpful
689 1.0
vital
403 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.