remain

[ri-meyn]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR remain ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (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.

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miscellaneous, fragmentary, or other writings still unpublished at the time of an author's death.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.

Origin of remain

1375–1425; late Middle English remainen < Anglo-French remain-, stressed stem of Middle French remanoir < Latin remanēre, equivalent to re- re- + manēre to stay; see manor

Related formsun·re·main·ing, adjective

Synonyms for remain

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR remain ON THESAURUS.COM

1. abide, stay. 2. wait, tarry, rest. 3. endure, abide.

Synonym study

1. See continue.

Antonyms for remain

2. depart.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for remain

Contemporary Examples of remain

Any plans to grow her exercise movement must, she insists, remain “completely organic.”
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze
Lizzie Crocker
January 9, 2015
The people who are involved in the violence, they figure out ways to remain here at all costs and continue causing trouble.
Mexico’s Priests Are Marked for Murder
Jason McGahan
January 7, 2015
Instead, black models are required to remain meekly, silently off stage, waiting for a turn that may never come.
One Vogue Cover Doesn’t Solve Fashion’s Big Race Problem
Danielle Belton
January 2, 2015
Expectations, reasonable or unrealistic, remain so even if we impose them on ourselves.
Why Singles Should Say ‘I Don’t’ to The Self-Marriage Movement
Tim Teeman
December 30, 2014
The fate of AirAsia Flight 8501 and the 162 souls on board is a tragedy, but it will not remain a mystery for much longer.
Who Will Get AsiaAir 8501’s Black Boxes?
Clive Irving
December 30, 2014

Historical Examples of remain

Philothea has glided from the apartment, as if afraid to remain in my presence.
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
But Mr. Hand, flattered by her politeness, begged her to remain.
The Raid From Beausejour; And How The Carter Boys Lifted The Mortgage
Charles G. D. Roberts
I expect Mr. Smith here by six o'clock; will you remain with me and see him?
Life in London
Edwin Hodder
It is expressed in conduct, of course; but conduct may fail while the attitude can remain constant.
The Conquest of Fear
Basil King
It is loss for the one who departs as well as for those who remain behind.
The Conquest of Fear
Basil King

British Dictionary definitions for remain

remain

verb (mainly intr)

to stay behind or in the same placeto remain at home; only Tom remained

(copula) to continue to beto remain cheerful

to be left, as after use, consumption, the passage of time, etca little wine still remained in the bottle

to be left to be done, said, etcit remains to be pointed out

Word Origin for remain

C14: from Old French remanoir, from Latin remanēre to be left, from re- + manēre to stay

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for remain

early 15c., from Anglo-French remayn-, Old French remain-, stressed stem of remanoir "stay, dwell, remain; be left; hold out," from Latin remanere "to remain, to stay behind; be left behind; endure, abide, last" (cf. Spanish remaner, Italian rimanere), from re- "back" (see re-) + manere "to stay, remain" (see mansion). Related: Remained; remaining.

"those left over or surviving," mid-15c., from Middle French remain, back-formation from Old French remanoir, remaindre, or else formed in Middle English from remain (v.). But the more usual noun in English has been remainder except in remains, euphemism for "corpse," attested from c.1700, from mortal remains.

remain

verb (used without object)

noun

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED WORDS

Origin of remain

Synonyms for remain

Synonym study

Antonyms for remain

Examples from the Web for remain

Contemporary Examples of remain

Historical Examples of remain

remain

verb (mainly intr)

Word Origin for remain