Feed vs Sustain

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Feed

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 verb

Sustain

Top 2,000 (common) C1 verb

Most common: Feed

	Feed	Sustain
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/fiːd/","/fiːdz/","/fed/","/ˈfiːdɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/fiːd/","/fiːdz/","/fed/","/ˈfiːdɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/səˈsteɪn/","/səˈsteɪnz/","/səˈsteɪnd/","/səˈsteɪnɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/səˈsteɪn/","/səˈsteɪnz/","/səˈsteɪnd/","/səˈsteɪnɪŋ/"]/
Meaning	To give food to someone or something.	To keep something going or maintain it.
Example	I need to feed the dog before I leave for work.	We must find ways to sustain our natural resources for the future.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR level	A2	C1
Part of speech	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	no longer, barely, indefinitely, be able to, can, be unable to
Antonyms	starve, deprive, neglect	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.	'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.	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.

See it in real clips

and feed you to your pooches? Hm?

Game Of Thrones › S1 E1

You will feed them yourselves.

and feed you to your pooches? Hm?

Game Of Thrones › S1 E1

You will feed them yourselves.

Feed

There's not a planet in our solar system that could sustain life...

Sherlock › S1 E1

Impossible to sustain a smoking habit in London these days.

There's not a planet in our solar system that could sustain life...

Sherlock › S1 E1

Impossible to sustain a smoking habit in London these days.

Sustain

Frequently asked questions: Feed vs Sustain

What's the difference between Feed and Sustain?

Feed: To give food to someone or something. Sustain: To keep something going or maintain it.

Which is more common: Feed and Sustain?

Feed is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Feed and Sustain?

Sustain is the highest level, at C1, on the CEFR scale.

Are Feed and Sustain the same CEFR level?

Feed: A2, Sustain: C1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Feed and Sustain?

Feed: verb, Sustain: verb.

Can you show an example of each?

Feed: I need to feed the dog before I leave for work. Sustain: We must find ways to sustain our natural resources for the future.

Can I use Feed and Sustain interchangeably?

Not always. Feed 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.