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

There is no update on the containment progress of the fire and its cause has not yet been determined. —Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 Sep. 2025

Most notable among 2025’s fires — most of which have burned on the state’s Western Slope — has been the Lee fire in Rio Blanco County, which is just shy of full containment. —John Aguilar, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025

Meanwhile, the White Sage Fire burning farther north on the Kaibab Plateau has remained at 95% containment. —Helen Rummel, AZCentral.com, 14 Aug. 2025

As of July 31st, a red flag warning was in effect for central and southern Utah as a result on ongoing low humidity and breezy weather, which can interfere with containment efforts. —Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

contain + -ment

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for containment

• arraignment
• attainment
• entrainment
• sustainment
• ascertainment
• entertainment