containverb
uk/kənˈteɪn/us/kənˈteɪn/contain verb (HOLD)
B1 [ T not continuous ] to have something inside or include something as a part:
How much liquid do you think this bottle contains?
I lost a file containing a lot of important documents.
Try to avoid foods which contain a lot of fat.
The allegations contained in this report are very serious.
More examples
- Raw vegetables contain more potassium than cooked ones.
- These biscuits contain oats.
- The cupboard contained all kinds of strange things.
- The following programme contains scenes that may be disturbing to some viewers.
- The letter contains a number of typing errors.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Including and containing
- (right) down to idiom
- assimilate
- build sth in/into sth
- built-in
- cast
- cast your net wide idiom
- catholic
- factor
- factor sth in
- figure
- forget
- inbuilt
- incl
- include
- pack
- package
- rich
- subsume
- throw sth in
- wide-ranging
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contain verb (CONTROL)
[ T not continuous ] to keep something harmful within limits and not allow it to spread:
Farms in the area have been closed off in an attempt to contain the disease.
More police were sent to help contain the violence.
C2 [ T often in negatives ] to control or hide a strong emotion, such as excitement or anger:
She could no longer contain her anger and started yelling at him.
humorous Contain yourself! It's not that exciting.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Limiting and restricting
- box sb in
- chain
- circumscribe
- clamp down on sth
- clampdown
- curtail
- damage limitation
- debilitate
- delimit
- delimitation
- hamstring
- hedge
- infringe
- muzzle
- non-proliferation
- qualification
- ration
- rationing
- restrain
- stabilizer
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Controlling emotions