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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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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 As of Monday evening, the fire crew effectively contained 65% of the wildfire. Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2025 The legislation contains about $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. Kevin Freking, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2025 In simpler terms, the particles, which were invented by researchers at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, contain a mix of the elements bismuth, oxygen and iodine along with the addition of a single atom of copper. New Atlas, 30 June 2025 On-screen text follows, reminding us that the virus laid waste to the UK, which was quarantined to contain the evil, with survivors there being left to fend for themselves. Mark Meszoros, Boston Herald, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for contain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contain
Verb
  • GoTo also holds a 22% stake in Bank Jago, an Indonesian digital bank.
    Lionel Lim, Fortune, 22 June 2025
  • Plus How to Install One to Support Pollinators 10 Plants to Grow with Zinnias for a Pollinator Friendly Garden Bee Cups: A Pollination Innovation Among the innovations gaining attention are Bee Cups: Handmade mini porcelain containers that hold a teaspoon of water for pollinators.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • The area around Canfield Mountain has been designated a no-fly zone by the sheriff’s office until further notice, including a prohibition on drones, the county’s emergency management services said.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 1 July 2025
  • That roundup includes five other projects that have held on for at least a year, including Born Sinner, The Off-Season, KOD, Cole World: The Sideline Story, and 4 Your Eyez Only.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Such costs comprised a shade under a quarter of club revenues last year.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 June 2025
  • North America comprised 29 percent of sake’s total export value, which proved a dominant drive of the category’s global expansion.
    Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • Sapphire is a variety of the mineral corundum, which is composed almost entirely of aluminum oxide.
    David Bressan, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • Made shoppable this March, it’s composed of one of Vans’ thinnest soles to date, with a design that takes cues from the Serio Style 84.
    Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 25 June 2025
Verb
  • Clouds play an important role in regulating the climate.
    Max G. Levy, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2025
  • Last week, the Senate approved the stablecoin bill, establishing a framework to regulate these digital currencies that are linked to the U.S. dollar.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • The deal would be financial feasible for the Phillies, despite them already boasting the fourth-highest payroll in MLB.
    Jon Vankin, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025
  • So far the strategy is working: Harvey boasts 337 legal clients.
    Alexandra Sternlicht, Fortune, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Even as new people got hired at B&N, they’d immediately get involved by coming to bargaining and making time to meet with the committee.
    James Folta, Literary Hub, 24 June 2025
  • That will likely be related to talks involving the Russia-Ukraine war, another major topic at hand, as well as Trump’s tariffs on trading partners.
    Alex Gangitano, The Hill, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • An agent with a baseball hat and FBI vest pats his heart and appears to be talking to him and trying to calm him down.
    Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
  • Myung-gi tries to calm him down, but a sobbing Player 39 has already made up his mind and throws himself off the edge.
    Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 27 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Contain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contain. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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