remain

1 of 2

verb

re·​main ri-ˈmān How to pronounce remain (audio)
remained; remaining; remains

intransitive verb

1
a
: to be a part not destroyed, taken, or used up
only a few ruins remain
b
: to be something yet to be shown, done, or treated
it remains to be seen
2
: to stay in the same place or with the same person or group
especially : to stay behind
3
: to continue unchanged
the fact remains that we can't go

remain

2 of 2

noun

1
remains plural : a dead body
2
: a remaining part or trace
usually used in plural
3
obsolete : stay

Examples of remain in a Sentence

Verb Little remained after the fire. Only two minutes still remain in the game. The question remains: who fired the shot? She remained in Boston after she finished college. The soldiers were ordered to remain at their posts. I remained behind after the class had ended. He remained with the team. Noun the remains of the house ripped apart by the tornado littered the block for weeks afterward archaeologists discovered the remains of an Incan woman and carefully excavated her burial site, which promised to yield important clues about her status gathered up the remains of the buffet and delivered them to a local homeless shelter
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.
Verb
Whether these sweeping changes will be enough to turn the tide remains a point of debate among experts. Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 15 Nov. 2024 Copied Share Eagles miss another kick Rohan Nadkarni Jake Elliott missed a 51-yard kick, and the score remains 7-0 Commanders. Greg Rosenstein, NBC News, 15 Nov. 2024
Noun
Aerial video showed investigators examining the remains as a section of the beach was closed off. Antonio Planas, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024 In 1681, La Salle sent two explorers to search for the remains of the ship. Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for remain 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French remaindre, from Latin remanēre, from re- + manēre to remain — more at mansion

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

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

Dictionary Entries Near remain

Cite this Entry

“Remain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/remain. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

remain

1 of 2 verb
re·​main ri-ˈmān How to pronounce remain (audio)
1
a
: to be a part not destroyed, taken, or used up
little remained after the fire
b
: to be something yet to be shown, done, or treated
that remains to be seen
2
: to stay in the same place or with the same person or group
especially : to stay behind
3
: to continue unchanged
the weather remained cold

remain

2 of 2 noun
1
: whatever is left over or behind
usually used in plural
the remains of a meal
2
plural : a dead body

More from Merriam-Webster on remain

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