1
as in to hold
to have within the top drawer of the cabinet contains my stamp collection

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3
4
as in to compose
to gain emotional or mental control of could hardly contain herself when she heard that she had won the scholarship

Synonyms & Similar Words

5

Synonym Chooser

How is the word contain different from other verbs like it?

The words accommodate and hold are common synonyms of contain. While all three words mean "to have or be capable of having within," contain implies the actual presence of a specified substance or quantity within something.

the can contains a quart of oil

Where would accommodate be a reasonable alternative to contain?

The meanings of accommodate and contain largely overlap; however, accommodate stresses holding without crowding or inconvenience.

the hall can accommodate 500 people

When is it sensible to use hold instead of contain?

While in some cases nearly identical to contain, hold implies the capacity of containing or the usual or permanent function of containing or keeping.

the bookcase will hold all my textbooks

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of contain The most famous, prominent planetary nebulae are all suspected to contain binary companions. Big Think, 3 Nov. 2025 Ellis’ novel is set in the early 1980s and contains some autobiographical elements from the author’s life. Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 3 Nov. 2025 The incident is generally contained within within a few hours after resources arrive on scene. Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2025 The new lawsuit — and the claims regarding Drake’s music — notably come just weeks after a judge tossed Drake’s lawsuit against Universal Music Group, which contained its own allegations of streaming fraud. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for contain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contain
Verb
  • While the Danish pharma giant holds the patents to these GLP-1s for the time being, some are due to expire as early as next year.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2025
  • In November 2026, 33 seats will be contested, 20 of which are currently held by Republicans and 13 by Democrats.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Matthew Busch/Bloomberg via Getty Images Matthew Busch—Bloomberg Advertisement Joe Gebbia, a cofounder of Airbnb, has spent a total of $2 million on the race, including $1 million apiece to Fix the City and Defend NYC.
    Rebecca Schneid, Time, 5 Nov. 2025
  • One year after taking the helm, Niccol’s restructuring plan – including menu pare-back as well as store closures and remodeling – has shown mixed results.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Yoox and The Outnet comprise the off-price segment of LuxExperience.
    David Moin, Footwear News, 31 Oct. 2025
  • This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, including Khalid and Diana Mirza, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners.
    Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Instead, these rather daring verses were composed by a Hieronymite nun for her beloved vicereine, the wife of the Spanish king’s representative in New Spain.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Ahead of the planned 23 April closing, the company announced a new senior leadership team, composed of many standing Mytheresa executives that will now assume their same titles at the group level.
    Vogue Business Team, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Like several of her colleagues, Strickland submitted anonymous complaints to the Department of Agriculture, which regulates facilities and labs under the Animal Welfare Act.
    Ava Kofman, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Some dissenting judges on the court, though, said the 1977 law allows the president to regulate imports during emergencies without specific limitations.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • At the top of that list is Luckin Coffee, a Chinese brand that has overtaken Starbucks in both sales and store count, boasting three times as many outlets in the country and coffee priced as low as one-third of Starbucks’ offerings.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 5 Nov. 2025
  • This one, boasting tight rows of eucalyptus and olive leaves, gives off a bohemian look, something a bit more laid-back than the cold-weather heavy cedars or pines.
    Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The follow-up tease showed someone holding a bunch of wires, insinuating that her costume likely has some animatronics involved.
    Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Nov. 2025
  • Missions on China’s Shenzhou-21 spacecraft involve trios of astronauts on six-month stays in space, with veteran astronauts increasingly replaced by younger faces.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Both ends of the leash will simply enjoy having people pet the therapy dog, chat with the handler, try to calm their nerves before running their big race, and, hopefully, have a significant, measurable feeling of relaxation.
    Kelli Bender, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
  • According to aesthetic nurse Eric Nietzel-Leone, this is an excellent post-treatment mask for cooling and calming the skin after lasers or microneedling.
    Iman Balagam, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Contain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contain. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on contain

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!