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

In the midst of everything, Granado Montano turned her Los Angeles restaurant, Full Arepas, into a relief hub, filling shipping containers with donations to be sent to Venezuela. — ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026

Hall’s doppelgänger wears the Artisanal masks designed for the brand’s fall show, staged last April in Shanghai amid stacks of shipping containers. — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2026

Then, place the packets inside an airtight container—ideally with a silica-gel packet to absorb any lingering moisture. — Bianca Lambert, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2026

This massive component protects spent nuclear fuel shipping containers during transport and replaces traditional wood designs. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 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)