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as in to hold
to have within the top drawer of the cabinet contains my stamp collection

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to compose
to gain emotional or mental control of could hardly contain herself when she heard that she had won the scholarship

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word contain different from other verbs like it?

The words accommodate and hold are common synonyms of contain. While all three words mean "to have or be capable of having within," contain implies the actual presence of a specified substance or quantity within something.

the can contains a quart of oil

Where would accommodate be a reasonable alternative to contain?

The meanings of accommodate and contain largely overlap; however, accommodate stresses holding without crowding or inconvenience.

the hall can accommodate 500 people

When is it sensible to use hold instead of contain?

While in some cases nearly identical to contain, hold implies the capacity of containing or the usual or permanent function of containing or keeping.

the bookcase will hold all my textbooks

Examples of contain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Album sales comprise 64,000 of those units, a total bolstered by its availability across 17 CD variants, each containing collectible memorabilia. Thania Garcia, Variety, 28 Oct. 2024 The following contains spoilers from the Season 2 premiere of Paramount+’s Lioness (fka Special Ops: Lioness). Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine, 27 Oct. 2024 His product must contain alcohol; selling a beverage without alcohol would amount to desecrating his own profession. Yukio Mishima, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024 Euclid this week delivered the first piece of a cosmic map — containing about 100 million stars and galaxies — that will take six years to create. Jackie Wattles, CNN, 26 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for contain 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'contain.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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Cite this Entry

“Contain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contain. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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