remain

American  

[ri-meyn] / rɪˈmeɪn /

verb (used without object)

remains, present (3rd person singular) remained, past participle, past remaining present participle

1. to continue in the same state; continue to be as specified.

   to remain at peace.

   Synonyms:

   stay, abide

2. to stay behind or in the same place.

   to remain at home;

   I'll remain here when you go to the airport.

   Synonyms:

   rest, tarry, wait

   Antonyms:

   depart

3. to be left after the removal, loss, destruction, etc., of all else.

   The front wall is all that remains of the fort.

   Synonyms:

   abide, endure

4. to be left to be done, told, shown, etc..

   Only the dishwashing remains.

5. to be reserved or in store.

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noun

1. Usually remains. something that remains or is left.

2. remains,

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 miscellaneous, fragmentary, or other writings still unpublished at the time of an author's death.

   2. traces of some quality, condition, etc.

   3. a dead body; corpse.

   4. parts or substances remaining from animal or plant life that occur in the earth's crust or strata.

      fossil remains;

      organic remains.

remain British  

/ rɪˈmeɪn /

verb

1. to stay behind or in the same place

   to remain at home

   only Tom remained

2. (copula) to continue to be

   to remain cheerful

3. to be left, as after use, consumption, the passage of time, etc

   a little wine still remained in the bottle

4. to be left to be done, said, etc

   it remains to be pointed out

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Synonym Usage

See continue.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unremaining
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• remaining
  present
• remained
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• remain
  simple
• remains
  simple
• have remained
  perfect
• has remained
  perfect
• am remaining
  progressive
• are remaining
  progressive
• is remaining
  progressive
• have been remaining
  perfect progressive
• has been remaining
  perfect progressive

Past

• remained
  simple
• had remained
  perfect
• was remaining
  progressive
• were remaining
  progressive
• had been remaining
  perfect progressive

Future

• will remain
  simple
• will have remained
  perfect
• will be remaining
  progressive
• will have been remaining
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

Podcasts have been supporting elements in horror for a minute, popping up in films like “Tusk” and 2018’s “Halloween” reboot, but they’ve yet to function as a true main character.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026

“Buyers love that all homes have true main floor living, with both the primary suite and laundry room on the first floor,” Hughes said.

From Washington Post • Feb. 8, 2022

This is, of course, the true main objective of the Church.

From Quiet Talks on the Crowned Christ of Revelation by Gordon, S. D. (Samuel Dickey)

These then were the true main grievances or grounds of complaint against the general system of our Government and its workings—I mean the administration of the Federal Government.

From The Great Conspiracy, Volume 3 by Logan, John Alexander

Related Words

• continue
• endure
• go on
• hover
• last
• linger
• live
• persist
• prevail
• stand
• stop
• survive
• wait