containment

noun

con·​tain·​ment kən-ˈtān-mənt How to pronounce containment (audio)
Synonyms of containment
1
: the act, process, or means of keeping something within limits
the containment of health costs
2
: the policy, process, or result of preventing the expansion of a hostile power or ideology

Examples of containment in a Sentence

The company's hazardous waste containment plan is being reviewed. The government needs to adopt a containment strategy.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That said, containment is a crucial part of successfully onboarding AI. — Dr. Timothy J. Giardino, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Crews continue working to strengthen containment lines and protect communities as conditions remain challenging. — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026 In contrast, low-pressure salt systems remove the need for such heavy containment structures. — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026 The Ross Fire burning west of Fort Worth in Palo Pinto County appears to be holding steady at around 85,000 acres and 26% containment Friday, according to Texas A&M Forest Service officials. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for containment

Word History

Etymology

contain + -ment

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of containment was in 1655

Rhymes for containment

See All Rhymes for containment

Browse Nearby Words

container ship
containment
contakion
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Containment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/containment. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on containment

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for containment

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about containment

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All