contain

verb

con·​tain kən-ˈtān How to pronounce contain (audio)
contained; containing; contains

transitive verb

1
: to keep within limits: such as
a
: restrain, control
could hardly contain her enthusiasm
b
: check, halt
contain the spread of a deadly disease
Firefighters contained the wildfire.
c
: to follow successfully a policy of containment toward
efforts to contain Communism
d
: to prevent (an enemy or opponent) from advancing or from making a successful attack
2
a
: to have within : hold
The box contains old letters.
b
: comprise, include
The bill contains several new clauses.
3
a
: to be divisible by usually without a remainder
b

intransitive verb

: to restrain oneself
containable adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for contain

contain, hold, accommodate 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

hold implies the capacity of containing or the usual or permanent function of containing or keeping.

the bookcase will hold all my textbooks

accommodate stresses holding without crowding or inconvenience.

the hall can accommodate 500 people

Examples of contain in a Sentence

The room was barely big enough to contain everyone who came to the meeting. The book contains over 200 recipes. The article contains information on how to plan your retirement. foods that contain a high level of fat The movie contains something for both children and adults. State health officials have succeeded in containing the virus.
Recent Examples on the Web The Grape Vine Creek Fire in Gray County has torched nearly 35,000 acres and is 60% contained. Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 At least one long-running business expects to be shuttered for a year due to damage sustained from the water used to contain the flames. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 3 Mar. 2024 This article contains spoilers about Dune: Part Two. Christian Holub, EW.com, 3 Mar. 2024 The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for the entire panhandle through midnight today after rain and snow on Thursday allowed firefighters to contain a portion of the fire. Graham Underwood, arkansasonline.com, 3 Mar. 2024 But obstetric clamps and wooden boxes containing toys have also been denied, Soeripto said. Claire Parker, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 The law contains an exemption for chains that bake bread and sell it as a stand-alone item. Fielding Buck, Orange County Register, 2 Mar. 2024 In recent years, as Israel and Egypt have imposed strict border controls to contain Hamas' rule in Gaza, the Hala travel company offered regular border fee services on Egypt's border. Daniel Estrin, NPR, 2 Mar. 2024 In November, election workers in California and at least four other states received suspicious letters, some containing the powerful narcotic fentanyl. Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 21 Feb. 2024

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.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English conteynen, borrowed from Anglo-French cunteign-, cunteyn-, present tense stem of contenir, cuntenir, going back (with conjugation change) to Latin continēre "to hold together, restrain, have as contents," from con- con- + tenēre "to hold, occupy, possess" — more at tenant entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of contain was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near contain

Cite this Entry

“Contain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contain. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

contain

verb
con·​tain kən-ˈtān How to pronounce contain (audio)
1
: to keep within limits : restrain, check
tried to contain my laughter
the forest fire was finally contained
2
: to have within
3
: to consist of : include
4
: to be divisible by especially without a remainder
20 contains 5
containment
-ˈtān-mənt
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on contain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!