containment

noun

con·​tain·​ment kən-ˈtān-mənt 

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

Flu is a tricky, unstable virus that has eluded lasting containment since the first vaccine against it was released in 1945. —Maryn McKenna, WIRED, 10 Nov. 2023

At least 15 additional structures are threatened by the blaze, which had 0% containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. —Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2023

The wildfire has burned at least 9,500 acres near Medical Lake, Washington, with 0% containment, officials said. —Mitchell McCluskey, CNN, 19 Aug. 2023

And yet for all our sakes, containment must be possible. —Mustafa Suleyman, WIRED, 6 Sep. 2023

Edgar spent three days and two nights on the fire line, long enough for the containment effort to succeed. —Alexander Sammon, Harper's Magazine, 16 Oct. 2023

Equally unclear is the end game for Netanyahu — with his Gaza containment strategy in ruins, some are calling for a full reoccupation of the territory. —Shira Rubin, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2023

This is how an infectious disease containment strategy should work. —WIRED, 22 Sep. 2023

Many argue that with a track record like this, the United States ought to dust off the containment playbook and Finish reading this article for free. —John Mueller, Foreign Affairs, 21 Sep. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

contain + -ment

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1