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

Cases are proliferating in a Mexican state that borders Texas, with the pest having escaped containment by an international eradication program that banished it for decades. —Bloomberg Wire, Dallas Morning News, 7 Feb. 2026

Creative operations leader Ryan Garney rounds out the program with lessons on crisis containment drawn from disaster history. —Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026

The system operates at atmospheric pressure, which significantly enhances safety and reduces the need for massive containment structures. —Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Feb. 2026

Law becomes a form of emotional containment. —Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 3 Feb. 2026

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