remain

1 of 2

verb

re·​main ri-ˈmān How to pronounce remain (audio)
remained; remaining; remains

intransitive verb

1
a
: to be a part not destroyed, taken, or used up
only a few ruins remain
b
: to be something yet to be shown, done, or treated
it remains to be seen
2
: to stay in the same place or with the same person or group
especially : to stay behind
3
: to continue unchanged
the fact remains that we can't go

remain

2 of 2

noun

1
remains plural : a dead body
2
: a remaining part or trace
usually used in plural
3
obsolete : stay

Examples of remain in a Sentence

Verb Little remained after the fire. Only two minutes still remain in the game. The question remains: who fired the shot? She remained in Boston after she finished college. The soldiers were ordered to remain at their posts. I remained behind after the class had ended. He remained with the team. Noun the remains of the house ripped apart by the tornado littered the block for weeks afterward archaeologists discovered the remains of an Incan woman and carefully excavated her burial site, which promised to yield important clues about her status gathered up the remains of the buffet and delivered them to a local homeless shelter
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.
Verb
The love remained even as Alonso tested free agency for the first time last winter. Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2025 Kenwood’s program will remain the same, but Western’s will change to a Building Construction Management magnet, which will expose students to different areas of construction trades, such as HVAC, electrical, plumbing and carpentry. Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
On July 9, the Iraqi government released a list of twenty-two people whose remains had been identified nearly 11 years after ISIS militants carried out genocide against the Yazidi community, a religious minority in Northern Iraq. Nadia Murad, Time, 13 Aug. 2025 In January, a team from the Polish base on King George Island found his remains and hundreds of personal items among rocks uncovered as the glacier has retreated, the BAS said. Haicen Yang, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for remain

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French remaindre, from Latin remanēre, from re- + manēre to remain — more at mansion

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of remain was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Remain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/remain. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

remain

1 of 2 verb
re·​main ri-ˈmān How to pronounce remain (audio)
1
a
: to be a part not destroyed, taken, or used up
little remained after the fire
b
: to be something yet to be shown, done, or treated
that remains to be seen
2
: to stay in the same place or with the same person or group
especially : to stay behind
3
: to continue unchanged
the weather remained cold

remain

2 of 2 noun
1
: whatever is left over or behind
usually used in plural
the remains of a meal
2
plural : a dead body

More from Merriam-Webster on remain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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