Word · CEFR C1 · Frequency #23150
unsustainable
不可持续的；无法维持的
not able to be maintained or continued at the same rate or level
- 1.
Not sustainable.
不可持续的
站不住脚的；不能成立的；难以忍受的；不能忍受的；无法证实的；未经证实的；不可持续的；无法支撑的
In use
It is unsustainable to keep buying new gadgets every time the old one still works.
The unsustainable schedule of back-to-back meetings leaves no time for lunch.
Our family's monthly expenses have become unsustainable since the rent went up.
be unsustainable
形容词作表语，表示某事物无法长期维持。
The city's current water use is unsustainable.
该市目前的水资源使用方式是不可持续的。
unsustainable + noun
作定语修饰名词，常见搭配有增长、债务、发展等。
They borrowed heavily to fuel unsustainable growth.
他们大量借贷，以推动不可持续的增长。
become unsustainable
强调从尚可维持到不可维持的变化。
The situation became unsustainable after the price of raw materials rose.
原材料价格上涨后，这种局面变得难以为继。
it is unsustainable to do sth
it 为形式主语，真正的主语是后面的不定式。
It is unsustainable to rely on foreign aid for basic services.
依靠外国援助来维持基本服务是不可持续的。
Common mistakes
The current economic growth is unsustainability.The current economic growth is unsustainable.
unsustainable 是形容词，用作表语；unsustainability 是名词，不能放在 be 动词后描述主语性质。
This development model cannot sustainable.This development model is unsustainable.
情态动词 cannot 后须接动词原形，不能接形容词；表“不可持续”应用形容词 unsustainable 作表语。
Connections
Collocations
- unsustainable development
- 不可持续的发展
- The report warns that unsustainable development will exhaust natural resources.报告警告说，不可持续的发展将耗尽自然资源。
- unsustainable debt
- 无法维持的债务
- The country's unsustainable debt led to a financial crisis.该国无法维持的债务导致了金融危机。
- unsustainable pace
- 难以持续的速度
- Workers complained about the unsustainable pace of production.工人们抱怨生产速度难以持续。
- environmentally unsustainable
- 在环境上不可持续的
- Many current farming methods are environmentally unsustainable.许多当前的耕作方式在环境上不可持续。
- unsustainable lifestyle
- 不可持续的生活方式
- He decided to change his unsustainable lifestyle.他决定改变自己不可持续的生活方式。
Learner notes
Memory Tip
拆成 un + sustainable：能持续的是 sustainable；像一根绷到极限的绳子，再撑就断——撑不住的就是 unsustainable。
Context & Register
语域：neutral 常见场景：政策与经济讨论、环境与资源议题、学术及评论文章 该词通常用于书面或较正式的讨论，多出现在经济、环境、政策等话题中，用来描述某种状态或做法无法长期维持。日常口语中较少见，但不算生僻；整体语体偏向中立，选择中性表达比较安全。
Pronunciation & Spelling
这些词与 unsustainable 的结尾 /ˈteɪnəbəl/ 完全押韵：sustainable, obtainable, attainable, containable, maintainable, unattainable。注意拼写相似的 unreasonable /ʌnˈriːzənəbəl/ 和 uncomfortable /ʌnˈkʌmfərtəbəl/ 并不押韵，因为重读元音和后面的辅音不同。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, OCTANOVE, WIKTIONARY.