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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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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 Parks already do an amazing job telling stories that contain hard truths and everyone is entitled to the truth to make better decisions in our lives. Sophie Clark, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025 The Singaporean government said servers potentially containing AI-powering Nvidia chips shipped from the United States to Singapore had ended up in Malaysia, but that their final destination was unknown. Afp, Fortune, 19 June 2025 After new growth is visible on kangaroo paws, fertilize with any complete fertilizer (containing N-P-K, an abbreviation for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 19 June 2025 Rotate rice with grains containing lower levels of heavy metals to reduce your overall exposure. Laura Schober, Health, 18 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
  • How many cases are there in North Dakota? North Dakota, which hadn’t seen measles since 2011, was up to 34 cases as of June 6, but has held steady since.
    DEVI SHASTRI, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • The man’s body was found lying facedown, covered in a blanket and showing signs of trauma — including what appeared to be a stab wound to his back, a police source told the Daily News.
    Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 19 June 2025
  • Registering your business is a fairly straightforward and low-cost process and includes the following areas.
    Rhett Buttle, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • Such costs comprised a shade under a quarter of club revenues last year.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 June 2025
  • Asian, Black, and Hispanic men comprised 37 (7.4 percent), eight (1.6 percent), and 17 (3.4 percent) of the CEOs, respectively.
    The Hill, The Hill, 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
  • 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
  • Clouds play an important role in regulating the climate.
    Max G. Levy, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Additionally, the school boasts two professionally run on-site casting offices (with one in Atlanta), which have helped place students in projects such as Juror #2, May December, XO, Kitty and more.
    Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 23 June 2025
  • The academy’s 28-acre campus boasts more than 100,000 square feet of skateable concrete, outdoor and indoor skateparks, a private trail system, a mountain bike dirt path and now five airbags (one for skate, two for snow and two for mountain bike).
    Michelle Bruton, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • There should be a desire to be involved in your community, in your state, in helping others be better people.
    Juana Summers, NPR, 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
  • 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
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Contain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contain. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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