container

noun

con·​tain·​er kən-ˈtā-nər 

: one that contains: such as

a

: a receptacle (such as a box or jar) for holding goods

b

: a portable compartment in which freight is placed (as on a train or ship) for convenience of movement

containerless

kən-ˈtā-nər-ləs 

adjective

Synonyms of container

• bin
• holder
• bag
• receptacle
• vessel
• box
• bottle

Examples of container in a Sentence

The tea leaves come in a small metal container.

bowls, boxes, jars, and other containers

The shipment of tools arrived at the dock in cargo containers yesterday.

Recent Examples on the Web

The city is densely populated but doesn’t have trash containers; instead, people leave their trash bags on the street, where they are often torn up by animals and the occasional vandal. — Esther King, The Dial, 15 Sep. 2026

Remove food that attracts wild animals by keeping garbage in closed, secure containers. — Gagandeep Singh, Sacbee.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Once your coriander seeds are completely dry, transfer them to an airtight container and keep them somewhere cool, dry, and dark. — Rachel Gillett, Martha Stewart, 15 Sep. 2026

That thinking dominated for millennia, until Louis Pasteur sterilized some broth in 1859 and placed it in a glass container. — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English conteyner, from conteynen "to contain" + -er -er entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing container

• container port
• container ship

Rhymes for container

• abstainer
• campaigner
• complainer
• coplanar
• detainer
• maintainer
• nonplanar
• retainer
• sustainer
• entertainer
• gainer
• plainer

Kids Definition

container

noun

con·​tain·​er kən-ˈtā-nər 

: one that contains

especially : something into which other things can be put (as for storage)