maintain strong

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "maintain strong" is not correct as it is incomplete and lacks a noun to clarify what is being maintained strongly.
You can use it in contexts where you want to express the idea of keeping something strong, but it needs to be followed by a noun for clarity. Example: "It is important to maintain strong relationships with our clients."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

"It's difficult to assimilate and maintain strong ties," he said.

The New York Times

Nor must people become vegetarians to maintain strong bones.

The New York Times - Health

You maintain strong public support when the economy is robust, and they know that.

The New York Times

Greater worker productivity makes it easier to maintain strong economic growth without adding to inflation.

The New York Times

Mr. Rafsanjani was once a member of Motalefeh and continues to maintain strong links with it.

The New York Times

It is like a second family to me so I hope to maintain strong links even from across the Atlantic.

The Guardian

I imagine that these comment are from certain individuals who want to maintain strong links to the Icelandic banks".

The Guardian - Business

Typically in these countries, higher earners receive lower pension benefits — and that helps to maintain strong and robust welfare states.

The New York Times

To make that happen, she will need to maintain strong customer loyalty in the urban area she left behind.

The New York Times

He added that Ms. Kerina had failed to develop a long-term strategy and maintain strong financial controls.

The New York Times

"Shell simply did not maintain strong, direct oversight of some of its key contractors," Mr. Beaudreau said in a statement.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always follow "maintain strong" with a noun to specify what is being kept strong, such as "maintain strong relationships" or "maintain strong economic growth".

Common error

Avoid using "maintain strong" without specifying what you are maintaining. This can lead to ambiguity and grammatical incorrectness. Always complete the phrase with a noun.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "maintain strong" functions as a transitive verb followed by an adjective, requiring a noun to complete its meaning. As Ludwig AI correctly points out, it needs a noun to clarify what is being maintained strongly. Examples from Ludwig include "maintain strong ties", "maintain strong growth", and "maintain strong support".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Academia

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "maintain strong" is frequently used but grammatically incomplete without a noun to clarify what is being maintained. As Ludwig AI explains, it requires a noun for clarity. Examples from Ludwig show its use in various contexts like relationships, economic growth, and public support. The phrase is considered neutral in register and appears most often in News & Media and Scientific sources. To ensure clarity and correctness, always specify what is being maintained strongly. Alternatives include "sustain robust", "keep firm", and "preserve solid".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

sustain robust

Replaces "maintain" with "sustain" and "strong" with "robust", implying continued support and vigor.

keep firm

Uses simpler verbs to convey the idea of maintaining something with strength.

preserve solid

Emphasizes the act of preserving something in a strong state.

uphold vigorously

Highlights the active effort required to maintain something strongly.

ensure resilience

Focuses on guaranteeing the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.

secure durability

Emphasizes making something lasting and resistant to wear.

foster strength

Implies actively encouraging and developing strength in something.

promote stability

Shifts the focus to enhancing the condition of being stable.

cultivate resilience

Suggests carefully developing the ability to recover quickly.

bolster fortitude

Implies strengthening courage in the face of pain or adversity.

FAQs

How can I use "maintain strong" in a sentence correctly?

To use "maintain strong" correctly, you need to specify what is being maintained. For example, "We must "maintain strong relationships" with our clients" or "The company needs to "maintain strong financial controls"".

What are some alternatives to using "maintain strong"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "sustain robust", "keep firm", or "preserve solid".

Is it grammatically correct to say "maintain strong" on its own?

No, saying "maintain strong" on its own is grammatically incomplete. It needs to be followed by a noun to clarify what is being maintained. For example, "maintain strong ties" is correct, while simply saying "maintain strong" is not.

What's the difference between "maintain strong ties" and "have strong ties"?

"Maintain strong ties" implies an ongoing effort to keep the ties strong, while "have strong ties" simply states that the ties are currently strong. The first one has a dynamic, present and future sense, the latter is only a description of the present.