containment

noun

con·​tain·​ment kən-ˈtān-mənt How to pronounce containment (audio)
Synonyms of containmentnext
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An update on the percent containment has not yet been provided. Christa Swanson, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026 The Chama Canyon fire is burning on 117 acres with no containment 6 miles east of San Luis, according to the Costilla County Office of Emergency Management. Katie Langford, Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2026 The same incident command team is fighting the Cottonwood Fire, said to have consumed 131,259 acres with 40% containment. Dennis Romero, NBC news, 18 Mar. 2026 As July bled into August, the footprint of the fire widened with each passing day — 28,000 to 55,000 to 105,000 acres — while its containment progressively shrank from 26 percent to 13 percent to 4 percent. New York Times, 16 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for containment

Word History

Etymology

contain + -ment

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of containment was in 1655

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Containment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/containment. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.

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