Cool MateFeed vs Give vs Nourish vs Provide vs Sustain
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Feed
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Give
High-frequency chunkA1verb
Nourish
Top 5,000 (fairly common)C2verb
Provide
Top 1,000 (very common)A2verb
Sustain
Top 2,000 (common)C1verb
| Feed | Give | Nourish | Provide | Sustain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/fiːd/","/fiːdz/","/fed/","/ˈfiːdɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/fiːd/","/fiːdz/","/fed/","/ˈfiːdɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/ɡɪv/","/ɡɪvz/","/ɡeɪv/","/ˈɡɪvn/","/ˈɡɪvɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɡɪv/","/ɡɪvz/","/ɡeɪv/","/ˈɡɪvn/","/ˈɡɪvɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈnɔːrɪʃ//🇺🇸 //ˈnɔːrɪʃ// | 🇬🇧 //prəˈvaɪd//🇺🇸 //prəˈvaɪd// | 🇬🇧 /["/səˈsteɪn/","/səˈsteɪnz/","/səˈsteɪnd/","/səˈsteɪnɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səˈsteɪn/","/səˈsteɪnz/","/səˈsteɪnd/","/səˈsteɪnɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To give food to someone or something. | To hand something to someone or to offer something. | To provide food or nutrients to help someone or something grow. | To give something that is needed. | To keep something going or maintain it. |
| Example | I need to feed the dog before I leave for work. | Please give me your book. | It is essential to nourish your body with healthy foods. | The charity will provide food for the homeless. | We must find ways to sustain our natural resources for the future. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | High-frequency chunk | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | A1 | C2 | A2 | C1 |
| Part of speech | verb | verb | verb | verb | verb |
| Collocations | properly, well, poorly, help (to), afford to, on, to, with, a mouth to feed, voraciously, mainly, mostly, on, properly, well, poorly, help (to), afford to, on, to, with, a mouth to feed, properly, well, poorly, help (to), afford to, on, to, with, a mouth to feed, directly, constantly, into, through, to, directly, constantly, into, through, to, directly, constantly, into, through, to | give a speech, give a gift, give advice, give permission, give a hand | nourish the body, nourish the mind, nourish relationships, nourish a community, nourish plants | provide assistance, provide support, provide information, provide resources, provide care | no longer, barely, indefinitely, be able to, can, be unable to |
| Antonyms | starve, deprive, neglect | take, withhold, keep | starve, deprive, neglect | withhold, deny, deprive | neglect, abandon, cease |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'fed' as the past tense., Using 'to feed' with an object before the subject., Mistakenly using 'feed' as a noun when it should be a verb. | Confused with 'give up', which means to stop trying., Using 'give' with an incorrect preposition; it should be 'give it to me', not 'give to me it'., Overusing 'give' instead of synonyms in formal writing. | Confusing nourish with just feed; nourish implies a deeper level of care., Using nourish intransitively; nourish must have an object., Not using it in metaphorical contexts, where it can mean supporting development emotionally or intellectually. | Confusing with 'supply' which has a slightly different scope., Using 'provide' without an object, which is incorrect., Using a wrong preposition; 'provide to' is less common than 'provide with'. | 'Sustain' is often confused with 'sustained' as a past form., Learners sometimes forget to add an object after 'sustain'., 'Sustain' is misused when referring to temporary situations, instead of ongoing support. |
| Usage notes | Commonly used when talking about giving food to animals or children. Not usually used in formal contexts. Avoid using it in contexts where you mean 'nourish' in a more abstract sense. | Used in many contexts, from formal offers to casual exchanges. Avoid in contexts that require more specific verbs, like 'deliver' or 'bestow'. | Used in both literal and metaphorical contexts. Suitable for formal writing, but also common in everyday conversation when talking about food or emotional support. | Use 'provide' when discussing giving something necessary or essential. Generally neutral but can be formal in legal contexts. | Use 'sustain' in contexts about keeping something alive or supporting it over time. It can be formal when discussing topics like environmental issues or less formal in conversations about personal interests. |
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Frequently asked questions: Feed vs Give vs Nourish vs Provide vs Sustain
What's the difference between Feed, Give, Nourish, Provide, and Sustain?
Feed: To give food to someone or something. Give: To hand something to someone or to offer something. Nourish: To provide food or nutrients to help someone or something grow. Provide: To give something that is needed. Sustain: To keep something going or maintain it.
Which is more advanced: Feed, Give, Nourish, Provide, and Sustain?
Nourish is the highest level, at C2, on the CEFR scale.
Are Feed, Give, Nourish, Provide, and Sustain the same CEFR level?
Feed: A2, Give: A1, Nourish: C2, Provide: A2, Sustain: C1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Feed, Give, Nourish, Provide, and Sustain?
Feed: verb, Give: verb, Nourish: verb, Provide: verb, Sustain: verb.
Can you show an example of each?
Feed: I need to feed the dog before I leave for work. Give: Please give me your book. Nourish: It is essential to nourish your body with healthy foods. Provide: The charity will provide food for the homeless. Sustain: We must find ways to sustain our natural resources for the future.
Can I use Feed, Give, Nourish, Provide, and Sustain interchangeably?
Not always. Feed, Give, Nourish, Provide, and Sustain are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.