The Oxford Thesaurus An A-Z Dictionary of Synonyms - maintainv.

1) continue, preserve, persevere in, keep going, persist in, keep (up) , carry on, retain, perpetuate, prolong, sustain, uphold: Sarah maintained friendly relations with her ex-husband. Try to maintain your composure. 2) look after, take care of, care for, preserve, (keep in) service, keep up, keep in repair; nurture, support: It is expensive to maintain a vintage car. Allison maintains an ancient aunt in Piddlington. 3) hold, state, say, declare, claim, assert, allege, testify, contend, aver, avow, announce, proclaim, vouchsafe, profess, insist (on) , affirm: Despite evidence to the contrary, he maintains that he is innocent. 4) defend, stand by, keep, fight for; take up the cudgels for, make a case for, advocate, champion, take or make a stand for, plead for, back (up) , support, vindicate, justify, Colloq go to bat for: He maintained his ground in the face of virulent attacks.