Cool MateFeed vs Nourish vs Provide vs Supply vs Sustain
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Feed
Nourish
Provide
Supply
Sustain
| Feed | Nourish | Provide | Supply | Sustain | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/fiːd/","/fiːdz/","/fed/","/ˈfiːdɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/fiːd/","/fiːdz/","/fed/","/ˈfiːdɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈnɔːrɪʃ//🇺🇸 //ˈnɔːrɪʃ// | 🇬🇧 //prəˈvaɪd//🇺🇸 //prəˈvaɪd// | 🇬🇧 /["/səˈplaɪ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səˈplaɪ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 /["/səˈsteɪn/","/səˈsteɪnz/","/səˈsteɪnd/","/səˈsteɪnɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/səˈsteɪn/","/səˈsteɪnz/","/səˈsteɪnd/","/səˈsteɪnɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | To give food to someone or something. | To provide food or nutrients to help someone or something grow. | To give something that is needed. | to give or provide something that is needed | To keep something going or maintain it. |
| Example | I need to feed the dog before I leave for work. | It is essential to nourish your body with healthy foods. | The charity will provide food for the homeless. | The company is struggling to meet the demand for their product due to a shortage in supply. | 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) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | C2 | A2 | B1 | C1 |
| Part of speech | verb | verb | verb | noun | 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 | nourish the body, nourish the mind, nourish relationships, nourish a community, nourish plants | provide assistance, provide support, provide information, provide resources, provide care | total, available, endless, have, get, lay in, increase, fall, exceed demand, chain, line, network, supply of, supply to, be in short supply, demand and supply, supply and demand, abundant, plentiful, limited, bring, bring in, lay in, hold out, last, be depleted, supply of | no longer, barely, indefinitely, be able to, can, be unable to |
| Antonyms | starve, deprive, neglect | starve, deprive, neglect | withhold, deny, deprive | demand, deprivation | 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. | 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'. | Confusing with 'supplement' when more than just providing is meant, Using as a noun instead of a verb, e.g., 'to supply' vs 'the supply', Incorrectly conjugating the verb in different tenses | '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 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 'supply' when referring to providing goods or resources. It is neutral and can be used in business, education, and everyday contexts. Avoid using it in very casual conversations. | 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. |
Frequently asked questions: Feed vs Nourish vs Provide vs Supply vs Sustain
What's the difference between Feed, Nourish, Provide, Supply, and Sustain?
Feed: To give food to someone or something. Nourish: To provide food or nutrients to help someone or something grow. Provide: To give something that is needed. Supply: to give or provide something that is needed Sustain: To keep something going or maintain it.
Which is more advanced: Feed, Nourish, Provide, Supply, and Sustain?
Nourish is the highest level, at C2, on the CEFR scale.
Are Feed, Nourish, Provide, Supply, and Sustain the same CEFR level?
Feed: A2, Nourish: C2, Provide: A2, Supply: B1, Sustain: C1 on the CEFR scale.
What part of speech are Feed, Nourish, Provide, Supply, and Sustain?
Feed: verb, Nourish: verb, Provide: verb, Supply: noun, Sustain: verb.
Can you show an example of each?
Feed: I need to feed the dog before I leave for work. Nourish: It is essential to nourish your body with healthy foods. Provide: The charity will provide food for the homeless. Supply: The company is struggling to meet the demand for their product due to a shortage in supply. Sustain: We must find ways to sustain our natural resources for the future.
Can I use Feed, Nourish, Provide, Supply, and Sustain interchangeably?
Not always. Feed, Nourish, Provide, Supply, 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.