Definition, synonyms and related words
The act of doing maintenance.
"The team spent the afternoon maintaining the old park benches by sanding down the rotting wood and tightening loose screws."
"The difficulty he faced was that of maintaining his weight without giving up healthy foods."
Usage: Use "maintaining" only when referring to the continuous action of upkeep, though it is often grammatically awkward as a standalone noun. In everyday speech, prefer the concrete noun "maintenance" or rephrase the sentence to use a gerund like "doing maintenance."
present participle of maintain
"She spent her weekends maintaining her old bicycle so it would be ready for spring rides."
In plain English: Maintaining means keeping something in good working order or continuing to do something over time.
"They spent all their time maintaining the old garden."
Usage: Use maintaining to describe the continuous action of keeping something in good condition or preserving its current state over time. It often appears with objects like equipment, relationships, or standards to indicate ongoing care rather than a single repair.
Derived from Old French mantenir, this verb originally meant to keep in hand or hold fast. It entered English via Anglo-Norman, evolving from the sense of supporting or preserving something into its current meaning of continuing an action over time.