Contain Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on March 5, 2024
Contain means to hold or have something within, or to control and limit something. e.g., The bottle can contain up to two liters of water.
Table of Contents
Contain Definitions
To include or encompass within boundaries.
The park contains several hiking trails.
To prevent the spread or escalation of something.
Measures were taken to contain the outbreak.
To have something as a part or component.
The recipe contains nuts and dairy.
To keep something under control or within limits.
The firefighters worked to contain the blaze.
To restrain or hold back emotions or reactions.
She struggled to contain her excitement.
To confine or enclose within boundaries.
The fence contains the animals in the field.
To keep within a container or vessel.
The thermos can contain hot liquids safely.
To have within; hold
A bin that contains rice.
To be capable of holding
These barrels contain 50 gallons.
To have as a component or constituent part; include
Does the soup contain meat? The poem contains many famous lines.
To hold or keep within limits; restrain
I could hardly contain my curiosity.
To halt the spread or development of; check
Science sought an effective method of containing the disease.
To check the expansion or influence of (a hostile power or ideology) by containment.
(Mathematics) To be exactly divisible by.
(transitive) To hold inside.
(transitive) To include as a part.
(transitive) To put constraints upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds.
I'm so excited, I can hardly contain myself!
To have as an element or subset.
A group contains a unique inverse for each of its elements.
If that subgraph contains the vertex in question then it must be spanning.
To restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity.
To hold within fixed limits; to comprise; to include; to inclose; to hold.
Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens can not contain thee; how much less this house!
When that this body did contain a spirit.
What thy stores contain bring forth.
To have capacity for; to be able to hold; to hold; to be equivalent to; as, a bushel contains four pecks.
To put constraint upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds.
The king's person contains the unruly people from evil occasions.
Fear not, my lord: we can contain ourselves.
To restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity.
But if they can not contain, let them marry.
Include or contain; have as a component;
A totally new idea is comprised in this paper
The record contains many old songs from the 1930's
Contain or hold; have within;
The jar carries wine
The canteen holds fresh water
This can contains water
Lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits;
Moderate your alcohol intake
Hold your tongue
Hold your temper
Control your anger
Be divisible by;
24 contains 6
Be capable of holding or containing;
This box won't take all the items
The flask holds one gallon
Hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of;
Arrest the downward trend
Check the growth of communism in Sout East Asia
Contain the rebel movement
Turn back the tide of communism
To hold something within a space or area.
The box contains old photographs.
To be made up of certain elements or components.
The report contains important data.
To limit the influence or effect of something.
The government aimed to contain the economic crisis.
Contain Snonyms
Encompass
Surround and have or hold within.
The park encompasses over 500 acres of land.
Include
Comprise or contain as part of a whole.
The course includes several modules on contemporary issues.
Hold
Have or be able to have within.
The bottle can hold up to two liters of water.
Comprise
Consist of; be made up of.
The committee comprises five members.
Enclose
Surround or close off on all sides.
The letter was enclosed in a stamped envelope.
Incorporate
Take in or contain (something) as part of a whole; include.
The new design incorporates elements of traditional architecture.
Accommodate
Fit in with the wishes or needs of.
The hall can accommodate up to 600 people.
Harbor
Keep (a thought or feeling, typically a negative one) in one's mind, especially secretly.
She harbored doubts about the decision.
Embrace
Include or contain (something) as a constituent part.
The anthology embraces works from both well-known and emerging poets.
Enfold
Surround; envelop.
The fog enfolded the city by early morning.
Contain Idioms & Phrases
Contain the spread
To prevent something from extending, expanding, or proliferating.
The team worked tirelessly to contain the spread of the virus.
Cannot contain oneself
Unable to control one's actions or emotions due to excitement or agitation.
She was so thrilled that she could not contain herself and screamed with joy.
Efforts to contain
Actions taken to control, limit, or restrain something.
The government's efforts to contain the economic crisis were beginning to show results.
Barely contain
To almost not be able to control or hold back an emotion or reaction.
She could barely contain her laughter during the serious presentation.
Contain one's excitement
To control or hold back one's feelings of joy or eagerness.
Despite the good news, she had to contain her excitement during the meeting.
Contain the damage
To limit the extent or effects of harm or destruction.
The company acted quickly to contain the damage caused by the data breach.
Hard to contain
Difficult to control, suppress, or keep within limits.
The rumors about the merger were hard to contain.
Contain one's anger
To control or hold back feelings of anger.
He struggled to contain his anger when he learned of the betrayal.
Contain a secret
To keep a secret confined or not disclosed.
He found it difficult to contain a secret that could change everything.
Contain the risk
To manage or reduce the chance of danger or loss.
They put measures in place to contain the risk associated with the investment.
Contain one's enthusiasm
To keep one's eagerness or excitement under control.
He had to contain his enthusiasm about the surprise party to not spoil the secret.
Contain a situation
To control or stabilize a potentially problematic situation.
The quick response of the emergency services helped to contain the situation after the storm.
Container of emotions
A metaphorical concept where a person's emotions are held or suppressed within them, like in a container.
He was a container of emotions, never letting his true feelings show.
Contain one's curiosity
To control or hold back the desire to know about something.
Despite her suspicions, she managed to contain her curiosity and didn't ask any questions.
Struggle to contain
To have difficulty in controlling or restraining something.
The city struggled to contain the growing traffic congestion.
Contain Example Sentences
The teacher asked the students to contain their chatter.
The book contains a lot of interesting facts about animals.
She found it hard to contain her laughter during the play.
This jar can contain a kilogram of honey.
The container is too small to contain all these toys.
The recipe book contains many vegetarian dishes.
The aquarium is large enough to contain several fish.
The garden is designed to contain various types of flowers.
They built a wall to contain the floodwaters.
She used a leash to contain her energetic puppy.
The zoo's enclosures are built to safely contain the animals.
He had to contain his anger during the debate.
The field trip permission slip contains important information.
The folder contains all the documents you need.
The report contains the results of the experiment.
Common Curiosities
How do we divide contain into syllables?
"Contain" is divided into syllables as "con-tain."
How is contain used in a sentence?
"The jar can contain up to two liters of water."
How many syllables are in contain?
There are two syllables in "contain."
What is the first form of contain?
The first form (present tense) is "contain."
What is the third form of contain?
The third form (past participle) is "contained."
Why is it called contain?
"Contain" comes from the Latin "continēre," meaning "to hold together," from "com-" (together) and "tenēre" (to hold), indicating the action of holding something within limits or boundaries.
What is the verb form of contain?
The verb form is "contain."
What is the root word of contain?
The root word of "contain" is the Latin "continēre."
What is the second form of contain?
The second form (past tense) is "contained."
What is another term for contain?
Another term for "contain" could be "hold" or "enclose."
What is a stressed syllable in contain?
The second syllable "tain" is the stressed syllable in "contain."
What is the plural form of contain?
Verbs do not have plural forms; "contain" remains the same regardless of the subject number.
Is contain an abstract noun?
"Contain" is a verb, not a noun.
What is the pronunciation of contain?
Contain is pronounced as /kənˈteɪn/.
What part of speech is contain?
"Contain" is a verb.
Is contain an adverb?
No, "contain" is not an adverb.
Is contain a collective noun?
"Contain" is not a noun; it is a verb.
Is the word “contain” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Contain" can take a direct object, e.g., "The box contains toys." It does not take an indirect object.
What is the opposite of contain?
The opposite of "contain" could be "release" or "liberate."
Is contain a negative or positive word?
"Contain" is neutral, with the connotation depending on the context in which it is used.
Is contain a vowel or consonant?
The word "contain" starts with the consonant "c."
Which determiner is used with contain?
Determiners are not typically used with verbs like "contain."
Which vowel is used before contain?
The vowel used before "contain" depends on the context and the preceding words in a sentence.
Which preposition is used with contain?
Prepositions such as "within" or "in" can be used with "contain," depending on the context.
Which conjunction is used with contain?
Conjunctions like "and," "but," or "or" can be used with "contain," depending on the sentence structure.
Is contain a noun or adjective?
"Contain" is a verb.
Is the contain term a metaphor?
"Contain" can be used metaphorically in various contexts, such as emotions or situations being contained.
What is the singular form of contain?
As a verb, "contain" does not have a singular or plural form; it remains "contain."
Is contain a countable noun?
"Contain" is not a noun; it is a verb.
Is the word contain imperative?
"Contain" can be used in the imperative form as a command, e.g., "Contain the spill immediately."
Is the word contain Gerund?
The gerund form of "contain" is "containing."
Which article is used with contain?
Articles are not typically used directly with verbs like "contain."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
