remain

1 of 2

verb

re·​main ri-ˈmān 

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

Synonyms

Verb

• stay
• wait

Noun

• rubble
• debris
• ruins
• wreckage
• remnant
• ashes

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

Verb

If caught in a rip current, remain calm. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2025

LogoPowered byScale logo As the federal government shutdown has dragged into its seventh day, questions remain around how long-lasting the effects of service suspensions and funding cuts could be. —Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 8 Oct. 2025

Noun

Then the Shasta County Coroner’s Office collaborated with Othram, whose scientists extracted DNA from the remains and employed its Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing to construct a comprehensive DNA profile, the laboratory said in a news release. —David Chiu, PEOPLE, 6 Oct. 2025

Once the coffin was brought into the chapel with an honor guard, the archbishop blessed their remains, and each pallbearer was given a box to carry to the burial vault for interment. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 5 Oct. 2025

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

Phrases Containing remain

• remain to be seen
• right to remain silent

Rhymes for remain

• abstain
• airplane
• alkane
• arcane
• arraign
• attain
• backplane
• betaine
• biplane
• blockchain
• butane
• campaign

Kids Definition

remain

1 of 2 verb

re·​main ri-ˈmān 

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