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as in to hold
to have within the top drawer of the cabinet contains my stamp collection

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in to compose
to gain emotional or mental control of could hardly contain herself when she heard that she had won the scholarship

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word contain different from other verbs like it?

The words accommodate and hold are common synonyms of contain. While all three words mean "to have or be capable of having within," contain implies the actual presence of a specified substance or quantity within something.

the can contains a quart of oil

Where would accommodate be a reasonable alternative to contain?

The meanings of accommodate and contain largely overlap; however, accommodate stresses holding without crowding or inconvenience.

the hall can accommodate 500 people

When is it sensible to use hold instead of contain?

While in some cases nearly identical to contain, hold implies the capacity of containing or the usual or permanent function of containing or keeping.

the bookcase will hold all my textbooks

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of contain Tempest’s book contains at least two Thuillier images: group shots of the Sixth in 1916, before the Battle of the Somme. Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 13 July 2025 But the binders contained information that had largely already been in the public domain. arkansasonline.com, 13 July 2025 The memo also contains a link to about 11 hours of footage of Epstein in his cell released as proof of his suicide—which quickly faced more scrutiny after viewers realized about a minute of footage was missing. Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 13 July 2025 The protein in quinoa contains all the essential amino acids needed for healthy muscles and bones. Bethany Thayer, Freep.com, 12 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for contain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for contain
Verb
  • And believe it or not, plenty are genuinely comfortable, holding their own against traditional footwear.
    Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 15 July 2025
  • Premieres will be held Thursday, January 22, to Tuesday, January 27, where audiences will see films, episodic projects, and more for the first time, with additional showings throughout the entire Festival.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Taco Bell crispy chicken tacos and burritos (AKA wraps) Earlier this summer, Taco Bell debuted a new lineup of crispy chicken menu items that include tacos and burritos after a successful trial with chicken nuggets.
    Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 12 July 2025
  • While wedding planning, the pair was inspired by Alyssa's older sister, who included couples trivia at her reception.
    Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 12 July 2025
Verb
  • The interior comprises three floors, the first two are dedicated to an exhibition that showcases the brand's culture and history, with a cafe sitting at the top.
    Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • At the time, Ithaca comprised a variety of different endeavors and entities, including Braun’s management company SB Projects (which represented Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, J Balvin, and more), a publishing company, and the country label Big Machine Label Group.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Natural gas is almost entirely composed of methane, a greenhouse gas that's far more potent than carbon dioxide.
    Camila Domonoske, NPR, 8 July 2025
  • Last December, a task force co-led by Rashid and composed of Pritzker administration officials, educators and other lawmakers compiled a report detailing some of the risks presented by AI.
    Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025
Verb
  • Camps nationwide are regulated in a number of ways in order to prevent tragedies.
    Michael Loria, USA Today, 8 July 2025
  • Unlike medications, supplements are not regulated by the FDA.
    Merve Ceylan, Health, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • The city of Miami boasts the largest condo market in Miami-Dade, and the values of units built before the start of 2024 dropped 1% as this year began, according to a Miami Herald analysis of the data.
    Douglas Hanks July 5, Miami Herald, 5 July 2025
  • In this way, the typewriter boasts the ability to retrieve up to 90,000 characters.
    Emily Feng, NPR, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • Tracking the dots Schuck’s team set up an experiment that involved asking 90 participants to track dots on a screen in a series of trials, with a 20-minute-long nap in between.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2025
  • His remarks came amid UniCredit's high-profile attempts to expand its European footprint through potential merger deals involving Commerzbank and Banco BPM, efforts that have faced pushback from national governments.
    Spriha Srivastava, CNBC, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • As Stanway had passed back to her, the midfielder had patted the air in the universal gesture for ‘calm it down, there’s no rush’.
    Cerys Jones, New York Times, 10 July 2025
  • The extension has calmed Wall Street for the time being, unlike the tariff rollouts of the spring, which sent markets swinging wildly from day-to-day for weeks.
    Alex Veiga, Chicago Tribune, 9 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Contain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/contain. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.

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