contain
Americanverb (used with object)
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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
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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:
Under Grammy rules, songs nominated for the category must contain "meaningful use" of an Asian language.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
The government initially appeared confident it could contain the protests.
From Barron's ● Jul. 29, 2026
While its bottles are glass, Loonen’s caps contain a plastic lining, though the company says that it is unpainted, uncoated, PFAS- and BPA-free.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
The bill may also contain coding errors, duplicate charges or costs that should have been covered.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
They knew that his defection was real, and they worked around the clock to contain the fallout.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Phil Foden, Josko Gvardiol and Antoine Semenyo provide the experience to a group of players that contains a number from the elite development squad and with opportunities up for grabs.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Studies have found that bottled water contains higher levels of microplastics than tap.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Spoiler alert: This post contains details from the new film “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
This story contains details some might find distressing.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
The zero in the center of the painting contains an infinity of space.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
Here are other key revelations contained in the recently released court filings about how the “Operation at Large” immigration crackdown in Los Angeles was orchestrated last year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
Recent inflation data and contained inflation expectations give policymakers scope to wait for greater clarity before acting, the chief global strategist said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
If those measures remain contained, the Fed can hold rates steady and allow the initial price increase to pass through the data.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
He once did a spell as a radio DJ playing jazz and his house contained his collection of thousands of CDs.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
He sat up, and saw that a tray was on his bedside table with some sort of meal contained under a silver dome.
From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Mr Justice Hilliard was told the parents thought they had collected their son's ashes from Bush the following March, when he handed them a tiny blue coffin containing an envelope.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
Her statement described how she had lockets made for her and her mother containing the ashes given to her by Bush.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, visiting the fire zone west of Madrid, warned that "difficult hours lie ahead" even if they were "positive" indications towards containing the blaze.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
So I went ahead and swapped my normal creams containing high amounts of glycerin, aloe and other plant-based ingredients for tallow-based alternatives for a two-week period.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
In the central chamber was a pen containing many cattle and a few goats.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
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.
