remain

play

verb re·main \ri-ˈmān\

Definition of remain

intransitive verb
1a : to be a part not destroyed, taken, or used up only a few ruins remainb : 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

See remain defined for English-language learners

See remain defined for kids

Examples of remain in a Sentence

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.

Recent Examples of remain from the Web

Remaining is the starchy endosperm that provides a finer texture and extended shelf life.

— bryant stamford, The Courier-Journal, "If you see 'whole wheat,' it's definitely healthy, right? Sorry, maybe not", 6 July 2017
To this day, Cunanan's true motive for the slayings remain unknown to the Miami Beach police and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

— marlena scott, Teen Vogue, "Gianni Versace's Murder, Explained", 6 July 2017
That remains a major constraint on the Trump administration’s response even as North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, approaches his goal of a nuclear arsenal capable of striking the United States.

— motoko rich, New York Times, "In North Korea, ‘Surgical Strike’ Could Spin Into ‘Worst Kind of Fighting’", 5 July 2017
Schools have quickly reopened, but initial jubilation has turned to despondency among teachers who, six months later, remain unpaid.

— The Economist, "Islamic State nears its end", 5 July 2017
The 43-year-old Fickell remains in the honeymoon phase with UC fans, having recharged the program with a combination of energy and charisma.

— tom groeschen, Cincinnati.com, "UC football: Still in AAC, another clambake nears", 5 July 2017
Insert the remaining two 60-inch pieces of pipe into the elbow sockets to complete the frame.

— Popular Mechanics, "You Can Make Your Own Backyard Movie Theater", 4 July 2017
Step 4: Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining blueberries over the top of the cake.

— idahostatesman, "Those fresh Oregon blueberries are perfect for this cake", 4 July 2017
Still, as his presidency hangs in the balance, there remain a handful of things Trump could do that might cause Republicans to rethink their unflinching support.

— vanityfair.com, "Is Steve Bannon Trying to Get Trump Impeached?", 3 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'remain'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of remain

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

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

remain

noun re·main

Definition of remain

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

Recent Examples of remain from the Web

On Monday, a Madrid court statement said that tests with DNA from Dali's embalmed body were necessary because there were no other existing biological remains with which to make a genetic comparison.

— aritz parra, chicagotribune.com, "Salvador Dali's bones to be exhumed in Spain for paternity test", 26 June 2017
With a rubber or silicone spatula, fold in the flour mixture by hand, just until the batter is combined and streaks of white remain.

— jill o'connor, sandiegouniontribune.com, "A cookbook for the love of cake", 19 June 2017
The Navy says the remains are being transferred to Naval Hospital Yokosuka where they will be identified.

— Bloomberg.com, "URGENT: The Latest: US Navy Says Bodies of Sailors Found on Ship", 17 June 2017
The remains of Mystacodon, excavated from Peru’s Pisco Basin, consist of a partial skeleton that includes the skull, teeth, vertebrae from various places in the spine, partial forelimbs, and a hip bone.

— brian switek, Scientific American Blog Network, "New Fossil Fills in Missing Moment in Baleen Whale History", 14 June 2017
That left her free to pivot rightward, vacuuming up the most extreme anti-EU votes from the remains of the U.K. Independence Party.

— david frum, The Atlantic, "The Punishment of Theresa May", 9 June 2017
That's how the family identified his remains; the stone the ring once held was lost in the explosion.

— susan demar lafferty, Daily Southtown, "'Homefront heroes' remembered on 75th anniversary of arsenal explosion", 3 June 2017
A year ago, military investigators found his remains in a fish pond in north Vietnam.

— julie watson, The Seattle Times, "Pilot’s remains back on US soil from Vietnam after 52 years", 27 May 2017
Sheriff's detectives and evidence technicians, along with the Jefferson County Coroner's Office, worked to recover the remains and any evidence.

— carol robinson | crobinson@al.com, AL.com, "Hikers discover human remains on Cahaba River creek bank in southern Jefferson County", 22 May 2017

First Known Use of remain

15th century

REMAIN Defined for English Language Learners

remain

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verb

Definition of remain for English Language Learners

: to be left when the other parts are gone or have been used
: to be something that still needs to be done, dealt with, etc.
: to stay in the same place or with the same person or group : to stay after others have gone

REMAIN Defined for Kids

remain

play

verb re·main \ri-ˈmān\

Definition of remain for Students

remained

;

remaining

1 : to stay in the same place Please remain in your seats.
2 : to stay after others have gone Only one bus remained at school.
3 : to continue to be The weather remained cold. They remained friends.
4 : to be left after others have been removed, subtracted, or destroyed Little remained after the fire.
5 : to be something yet to be done or considered Her innocence remains to be proved.