Synonyms of contain

contain

verb

kən-ˈtān 

1

as in to hold

to have within

the top drawer of the cabinet contains my stamp collection

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hold
• boast
• encompass
• house
• bear
• accommodate
• enclose
• take
• fit
• inclose
• encase
• case
• shelter
• harbor
• lodge

2

as in to include

to have as part of a whole

the contract contains several new clauses

Synonyms & Similar Words

• include
• involve
• encompass
• carry
• entail
• comprise
• number
• comprehend
• take in
• embrace
• subsume
• receive
• possess
• incorporate
• have
• constitute
• consist (of)
• hold
• own
• embody
• bracket
• admit
• form
• compose
• integrate
• make
• assimilate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• prevent
• exclude
• leave (out)
• omit
• preclude
• prohibit
• eliminate
• refuse
• deny
• miss out
• reject
• ban
• bar
• lose
• rule out
• debar
• except
• misplace
• mislay

3

as in to comprise

to be made up of

the recipe contains several parts

Synonyms & Similar Words

• comprise
• include
• consist (of)
• involve
• encompass
• entail
• muster
• incorporate
• comprehend
• take in
• embody
• embrace
• assimilate

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

• compose
• calm
• restrain
• collect
• control
• settle
• re-collect
• recover
• hold back
• soothe
• still
• rally
• lull
• quiet
• tranquillize
• tranquilize

5

as in to regulate

to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)

frantic efforts to contain the spread of the disease

Synonyms & Similar Words

• regulate
• control
• keep
• restrain
• curb
• suppress
• hold
• measure
• stifle
• tame
• inhibit
• govern
• constrain
• check
• rule
• stop
• swallow
• pull in
• rein (in)
• interrupt
• repress
• hold back
• impede
• smother
• hinder
• bridle
• choke (back)
• obstruct
• block
• hamper
• strangle
• muffle
• squelch
• sink
• silence
• arrest
• mince
• bottle (up)
• pocket
• handcuff
• muzzle
• gag

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lose
• liberate
• express
• loosen
• loose
• take out
• unleash
• vent
• air

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

Recent Examples of contain

These qualities were noted by drug agents in 2023, who said in court filings that Gonzalez actually voiced concern over spreading addiction, while selling counterfeit Adderall pills that contained methamphetamine. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025

Riverfront Esplanade This lovely outdoor gathering place along the Intracoastal Waterway contains a splash pad, dog park, picnic pavilions, a walking trail, and a riverfront market with local vendors on certain days of the month. —Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2025

First, as Tsurenko acknowledges in her complaint, the WTA Tour membership agreement contains a waiver of recourse clause—meaning a clause that says as a condition of membership, the member agrees to not sue. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 18 Apr. 2025

The Keystone oil pipeline was shut down Tuesday morning following a rupture in North Dakota, with the resulting spill contained to an agricultural field near Fort Ransom. —Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Apr. 2025