contain
/kənˈteɪn/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: contains · containing · contained
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To hold inside.
Verb
Examples
The brown box contains three stacks of books.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
To include as a part.
Verb
Examples
Most of the meals they offer contain meat.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “contain” mean?
To hold inside.
Is “contain” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.