contain

verb

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

transitive verb

1
: 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
2
a
: to have within : hold
The box contains old letters.
b
: comprise, include
The bill contains several new clauses.
3
a
: to be divisible by usually without a remainder
b

intransitive verb

: to restrain oneself
containable adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for 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

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.
Some of the fires are continuing, according to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food & Forestry, which identified the New State fire in Pittsburg County to have burned 200 acres and 90 percent contained. Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025 Victim engagement: The sting is complete when, by using Microsoft’s billing emails that contain the organization name and fake support contact numbers, victims are urged to immediately contact what is purporting to be a critical support lifeline. Davey Winder, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025 Another, the Jacked Up sandwich, contains jalapenos, cheese, bacon and sauces. Jason Dill, Miami Herald, 15 Mar. 2025 Firefighters have largely contained the most severe blazes, but fire risk remains high in parts of the region. Kiley Price, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2025 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 1

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

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Cite this Entry

“Contain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contain. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on contain

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