# contain

/kənˈteɪn/ (US) · /kəntˈeɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/contain
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to hold inside

verb · CEFR A2

to have something inside, like a box or a bottle.

For teachers: to hold or have within; to be a container for a physical substance.

- This bottle can contain up to two litres of water.
- The ancient ceramic vessel was found to contain traces of olive oil and wine, suggesting it was used for long-distance trade.

Usage: Always transitive; requires a direct object.

### 2. to include as a part

verb · CEFR B1

to have something as a part of a whole.

For teachers: to include or comprise something as a constituent part or element.

- The document contains all the information you need for the trip.
- The final report contains several recommendations for improving safety standards across the entire manufacturing sector.

Usage: Often used in the passive voice in formal writing.

### 3. to control feelings

verb · CEFR B2

to keep a strong feeling or a situation under control.

For teachers: to restrain or keep within bounds; often applied to emotions or the spread of something harmful.

- She could hardly contain her excitement when she heard the news.
- Emergency services worked through the night to contain the fire before it reached the nearby residential area.

Usage: Commonly used with abstract nouns like 'excitement', 'anger', or 'outbreak'.

### 4. mathematical sets

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to have a number or a group as a part of a larger group.

For teachers: to have as an element or a subset within a mathematical set.

- Set A contains all the even numbers between one and ten.
- In this proof, we must demonstrate that the larger set contains the subset of all prime integers.

Usage: Used specifically to describe the relationship between sets and their elements.

## Examples

- This bottle can contain two liters of water.
- The old wooden box in the attic might contain some valuable family photos.
- The report does not contain any specific data regarding the environmental impact of the new factory, which has led to significant public criticism.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.