remain
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to continue in the same state; continue to be as specified.
to remain at peace.
-
to stay behind or in the same place.
to remain at home;
I'll remain here when you go to the airport.
- Antonyms:
- depart
-
to be left after the removal, loss, destruction, etc., of all else.
The front wall is all that remains of the fort.
-
to be left to be done, told, shown, etc..
Only the dishwashing remains.
-
to be reserved or in store.
noun
-
Usually remains. something that remains or is left.
-
remains,
-
miscellaneous, fragmentary, or other writings still unpublished at the time of an author's death.
-
traces of some quality, condition, etc.
-
a dead body; corpse.
-
parts or substances remaining from animal or plant life that occur in the earth's crust or strata.
fossil remains;
organic remains.
-
verb
-
to stay behind or in the same place
to remain at home
only Tom remained
-
(copula) to continue to be
to remain cheerful
-
to be left, as after use, consumption, the passage of time, etc
a little wine still remained in the bottle
-
to be left to be done, said, etc
it remains to be pointed out
Related Words
See continue.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of remain
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English remainen, from Anglo-French remain-, stressed stem of Middle French remanoir, from Latin remanēre, equivalent to re- re- + manēre “to stay”; see manor
Explanation
To remain is to stay in the same place or situation. You can remain at home instead of going out to the movies with your friends, but that doesn't mean you won't remain friends. If things remain the same, they don't change, and if your family remains in the same town, they don't move. When something is left behind, it also remains: "All that remains of my party is a bunch of deflated balloons." In the fifteenth century, remain was a noun too, meaning "people or things left over or surviving." Today we use remainder instead.
Vocabulary lists containing remain
"The Earth Under Sky Bear's Feet"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Workshop 4, Part 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Workshop 3, Part 2
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Remain bullish above $95. eBay was trading around $105 Monday.
From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026
Remain cautious until that unfolds, as a break under $88 could cause a sizable drawdown.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
Once in the Commons, he was part of the Conservative mainstream, voting Remain in the EU referendum and backing first Michael Gove then Theresa May in the leadership election that followed.
From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026
Appeared in the December 10, 2025, print edition as 'GameStop Sales Fall as Collectibles Remain Only Bright Spot'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 9, 2025
“I have to go. Remain calm. Everything is going to be okay and we’ll laugh about this later.”
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
