English · Word Candidate

sustainability

/səˌsteɪnəˈbɪlɪti/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: sustainabilities

Sense 1

Meaning · English

The ability to sustain something. — A means of configuring civilization and human activity so that society, its members and its economies are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential in the present, while preserving biodiversity and natural ecosystems, planning and acting for the ability to maintain these necessary resources for future generations.

Noun

Examples

None of the processing happens out in the open ocean, said Gaurav Sant, an Equatic founder and professor of sustainability at UCLA, “this is important because it allows you to measure everything that you’re doing perfectly.”

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

The ability to sustain something. — The ability to sustain a business in the long term, which is a state that is partly dependent on, but broader than, profitability today or in the short term; it involves aspects of a plausible path toward eventual profitability (as applies to a startup) and ecologic sustainability (for example, the long-term dependence of the timber/lumber industry on forest pre

Noun

Examples

The making of buggy whips is the proverbial exemplar of a business without sustainability in the face of technological change.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “sustainability” mean?

Is “sustainability” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.