containment

noun

con·​tain·​ment kən-ˈtān-mənt How to pronounce containment (audio)
1
: the act, process, or means of keeping something within limits
the containment of health costs
2
: the policy, process, or result of preventing the expansion of a hostile power or ideology

Examples of containment in a Sentence

The company's hazardous waste containment plan is being reviewed. The government needs to adopt a containment strategy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At this time, the containment status is unknown and the cause of the fire remains undetermined. Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2025 Here, the political messaging in Mahama’s earlier works was expressed via the ruggedness of the jute bags, signaling both movement and containment, wear and endurance. Edna Bonhomme, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025 George Kennan, the American diplomat and architect of containment, was initially skeptical of the need for a transatlantic alliance. Jennifer Kavanagh, Foreign Affairs, 30 Sep. 2025 Japan, part of a north-south defensive line known as the First Island Chain under a U.S. containment strategy to deter regional aggression, has gained Washington’s approval to acquire 400 Tomahawk missiles capable of conducting precision strikes from 1,000 miles away. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for containment

Word History

Etymology

contain + -ment

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of containment was in 1655

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Containment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/containment. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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