contain
Americanverb (used with object)
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contains,
present (3rd person singular)
-
contained,
past participle, past
-
containing
present participle
-
to hold or include within its volume or area.
This glass contains water.
This paddock contains our best horses.
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to be capable of holding; have capacity for.
The room will contain 75 persons safely.
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to have as contents or constituent parts; comprise; include.
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to keep under proper control; restrain.
He could not contain his amusement.
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to prevent or limit the expansion, influence, success, or advance of (a hostile nation, competitor, opposing force, natural disaster, etc.).
to contain an epidemic.
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to succeed in preventing the spread of.
efforts to contain water pollution.
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Mathematics. (of a number) to be a multiple of; be divisible by, without a remainder.
Ten contains five.
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to be equal to.
A quart contains two pints.
verb
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to hold or be capable of holding or including within a fixed limit or area
this contains five pints
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to keep (one's feelings, behaviour, etc) within bounds; restrain
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to consist of; comprise
the book contains three different sections
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military to prevent (enemy forces) from operating beyond a certain level or area
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maths
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to be a multiple of, leaving no remainder
6 contains 2 and 3
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to have as a subset
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Synonym Usage
Contain, accommodate, hold, express the idea that something is so designed that something else can exist or be placed within it. Contain refers to what is actually within a given container. Hold emphasizes the idea of keeping within bounds; it refers also to the greatest amount or number that can be kept within a given container. Accommodate means to contain comfortably or conveniently, or to meet the needs of a certain number. A passenger plane that accommodates 50 passengers may be able to hold 60, but at a given time may contain only 30.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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containsimple
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containssimple
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have containedperfect
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has containedperfect
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am containingprogressive
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are containingprogressive
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is containingprogressive
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have been containingperfect progressive
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has been containingperfect progressive
Past
-
containedsimple
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had containedperfect
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was containingprogressive
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were containingprogressive
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had been containingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of contain
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English conte(y)nen, from Anglo-French contener, Old French contenir, from Latin continēre, equivalent to con- con- + -tinēre, verb suffix of tenēre “to hold” ( see tenet)
Explanation
The verb contain has many shades of meaning but it often describes something that's held back or held in by something. Kids on the last day of school may find it hard to contain their glee when summer officially starts. Picture Times Square on New Year's Eve. People can barely contain — or hold back — their excitement at being there. They clutch cups that contain — or hold — hot drinks that help them stay warm. The police set up barriers to contain — or restrain — the crowd to keep everyone under control. The next morning, the heaps of trash on the street will contain — or include — streamers, party hats, and cups.
Vocabulary lists containing contain
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 4
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PARCC: Language of the Test (Grade 11)
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The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
For the first time in years, my fridge does not contain a single Honeycrisp.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2026
Now, research published in Science Advances provides definitive confirmation that the same two rocks, located in Mars' Bright Angel formation, contain organic carbon, an essential component of life.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 12, 2026
In its report, external, the charity said: "Despite the vast amounts of money provided for the response, many frontline responders are left trying to contain the outbreak with empty hands and empty pockets."
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2026
“My heart had to grow to contain my love for Patrick, and he changed me for the better, forever.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 12, 2026
“The wildfire is on the way. Cal Fire couldn’t contain it. It’s headed for our house!”
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
Mint essence, for example, contains menthone, and the tool can propose other ingredients that also include the compound.
From Barron's ● Nov. 14, 2026
This volume, the fourth of a planned five, contains 606 letters written between 1937 and 1946 to friends, family, publishers and an impressive number of collectors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026
This story contains spoilers for the season finale of “VisionQuest.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2026
At the center of the discovery is a particle called Bd, which contains a beauty quark and a down antiquark.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 10, 2026
I return to the stock car with my dukey box, which contains a ham sandwich, apple, and two bottles of sarsaparilla.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
"The press release issued by Mr Givan on the department website contained no political opinion or commentary."
From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2026
SMIC’s third-quarter results contained no evidence that the world’s appetite for chips—AI or otherwise—is slowing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
For more than two centuries, scientists believed that the genus Colobura contained just one widespread species.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 12, 2026
This led to the discovery and release of the tapes, which contained evidence of Nixon’s cover-up, without which he probably would not have been forced out of office.
From Slate ● Nov. 12, 2026
Nhamo was positive her island contained no lions.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
Wind, a financial-data provider, identified 70 mainland-listed stocks with names containing one of three identically pronounced characters meaning sheep, ocean or sun.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 14, 2026
“At this point, spray the outside with any can of spray oil containing lecithin, which evenly coats the surface and helps crisp the skin,” Young said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 13, 2026
Papyrus rolls containing text would be snipped into pieces, which were folded in half and clapped between wooden plates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
Even when fossils survive, scientists can only discover them if the rock layers containing them are accessible today.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 12, 2026
The glass jar containing the one and only good dream they had caught that day stood between them.
From "The BFG" by Roald Dahl
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