contain

verb

con·​tain kən-ˈtān How to pronounce contain (audio)
contained; containing; contains
Synonyms of contain

transitive verb

1
a
: to have within : hold
The box contains old letters.
b
: comprise, include
The bill contains several new clauses.
2
: to keep within limits: such as
a
: restrain, control
could hardly contain her enthusiasm
b
: check, halt
contain the spread of a deadly disease
Firefighters contained the wildfire.
c
: to follow successfully a policy of containment toward
efforts to contain Communism
d
: to prevent (an enemy or opponent) from advancing or from making a successful attack
3
a
: to be divisible by usually without a remainder
b
: enclose, bound

intransitive verb

: to keep oneself under control
When I saw them after so many years, I could hardly contain myself. [=control my feelings]
containable
kən-ˈtā-nə-bəl How to pronounce contain (audio)
adjective

Synonyms of contain

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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

Examples of contain in a Sentence

The room was barely big enough to contain everyone who came to the meeting. The book contains over 200 recipes. The article contains information on how to plan your retirement. foods that contain a high level of fat The movie contains something for both children and adults. State health officials have succeeded in containing the virus.
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.
The group had done its own testing and found multiple brands of floss contained PTFE with no disclosure of that on the packaging. — Margaret Hetherman The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026 Netanyahu’s wager, according to these critics, was that the aid would give Hamas something to lose and would therefore help contain the group while Israel pursued normalization with the Arab world without resolving the Palestinian question. — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026 No injuries were reported as firefighters continued working to contain the blaze. — Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026 Medical records contain information that can support identity theft and fraud long after an initial attack. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for contain

Word History

Etymology

Middle English conteynen, borrowed from Anglo-French cunteign-, cunteyn-, present tense stem of contenir, cuntenir, going back (with conjugation change) to Latin continēre "to hold together, restrain, have as contents," from con- con- + tenēre "to hold, occupy, possess" — more at tenant entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of contain was in the 14th century

Rhymes for contain

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Browse Nearby Words

contagium
contain
contained
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Cite this Entry

“Contain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contain. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

contain

verb
con·​tain kən-ˈtān How to pronounce contain (audio)
1
: to keep within limits : restrain, check
tried to contain my laughter
the forest fire was finally contained
2
: to have within
3
: to consist of : include
4
: to be divisible by especially without a remainder
20 contains 5
containment
-ˈtān-mənt
noun
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