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contain

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of contain

1 to have within
  • the top drawer of the cabinet contains my stamp collection
Synonyms of contain

bear, boast, hold
Words Related to contain

accommodate, fit, take

case, encase, enclose (also inclose), encompass

harbor, house, lodge, shelter
2 to have as part of a whole
  • the contract contains several new clauses
Synonyms of contain

carry, comprehend, embrace, encompass, entail, include, involve, number, subsume, take in
Words Related to contain

comprise, consist (of)

bracket

have, hold, own, possess

admit, receive

compose, constitute, form, make

assimilate, embody, incorporate, integrate
Near Antonyms of contain

ban, bar, debar, preclude, prevent, prohibit

deny, refuse, reject

eliminate, except, rule out

lose, mislay, misplace
Antonyms of contain

exclude, leave (out), miss out [British], omit
3 to be made up of
  • the recipe contains several parts
Synonyms of contain

comprise, consist (of), muster
Words Related to contain

comprehend, embrace, encompass, entail, include, involve, take in

assimilate, embody, incorporate
4 to gain emotional or mental control of
  • could hardly contain herself when she heard that she had won the scholarship
Synonyms of contain

calm, collect, compose, control, re-collect, settle
Words Related to contain

hold back, restrain

rally, recover

lull, quiet, soothe, still, tranquilize (also tranquillize)
5 to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression)
  • frantic efforts to contain the spread of the disease
Synonyms of contain

bridle, check, constrain, control, curb, govern, hold, inhibit, keep, measure, pull in, regulate, rein (in), restrain, rule, tame
Words Related to contain

bottle (up), choke (back), hold back, mince, muffle, pocket, repress, sink, smother, squelch, stifle, strangle, suppress, swallow

arrest, interrupt, stop

block, hamper, handcuff, hinder, impede, obstruct

gag, muzzle, silence
Near Antonyms of contain

liberate, loose, loosen, unleash

air, express, take out, vent
Antonyms of contain

lose

Synonym Discussion of contain

contain, hold, accommodate 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
hold implies the capacity of containing or the usual or permanent function of containing or keeping.
    • the bookcase will hold all my textbooks
accommodate stresses holding without crowding or inconvenience.
    • the hall can accommodate 500 people

Learn More about contain

  1. Dictionary: Definition of contain Spanish Central: Translation of contain Nglish: Translation of contain for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of contain for Arabic speakers

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