How to pronounce maintain
Say it like mayn-TAYN. Maintain has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAYN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce maintain. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- mayn
- TAYN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Maintain pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- maynKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
- TAYNSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ay" in day.
American vs British pronunciation of maintain
American and British speakers say maintain in essentially the same way: /meɪnˈteɪn/ in the US and /meɪnˈteɪn/ in the UK.
British respelling: mayn-TAYN.
What does maintain mean?
- cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., keep clean“hold in place”“She always held herself as a lady”
- keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction“We preserve these archeological findings”“The old lady could not keep up the building”
- supply with necessities and support“She alone sustained her family”“The money will sustain our good cause”
Where does maintain come from?
From Middle English mayntenen, from Old French maintenir, from Late Latin manūteneō, manūtenēre (“I support”), from Latin manū (“with/in/by the hand”, ablative of manus) + tenēre (“to hold”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with maintain
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of maintain.
Questions about saying maintain
How do you pronounce maintain?
Say mayn-TAYN. The American pronunciation is /meɪnˈteɪn/. In British English it is /meɪnˈteɪn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in maintain?
Maintain has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (TAYN). Broken into parts: mayn · TAYN.
Do Americans and Brits say maintain the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /meɪnˈteɪn/ and the British form is /meɪnˈteɪn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.