sustainable

/səˈsteɪnəbəl/

/səˈsteɪnəbəl/

Other forms: sustainably

If something is sustainable, then it can be maintained or continued. A 5-minute mile pace probably isn't sustainable for anyone other than Olympic marathon runners.

These days this adjective is often used to describe something that has a low long-term effect on the environment, like "sustainable agriculture" — a method of farming that doesn’t ravage the land, deplete resources permanently, or produce a great deal of pollution. Break down the word into two parts: sustain and able, to visualize and remember that you're able to sustain something sustainable.

Definitions of sustainable

1. adjective

   capable of being sustained
   antonyms:

   unsustainable

   not capable of being sustained
2. adjective

   using methods that do not cause long-term harm to the environment
   antonyms:

   unsustainable

   using methods that cause harm to the environment