contain

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "contain" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to mean to include something, or to have inside. For example, "This jar contains small round candies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Tony Abbott is holding firm against calls to send Australian medical experts to west Africa to help contain the Ebola virus, saying that other countries have yet to give firm commitments to assist in evacuations.

The Guardian

An insufficient number of police were deployed to Mare Street and Clarence Road, offering futile attempts to contain the anger of a vast number of youths, the source of which remains unknown.

The Guardian - Opinion

OH Idea: Breeding sweet potatoes to contain betacarotene, to help in the fight against childhood blindness.

The Guardian

Plibersek said many Australian health experts were willing to go to the region to help contain the virus but the government was "not assisting them or facilitating that in any serious way".

The Guardian

Greece is on the frontline of the effort to contain and cope with the wave of immigrants crossing the Mediterranean from the Middle East and north Africa.

The Guardian

The journals that contain them are school exercise books decorated with a collage of old product labels, cocktail recipes and advertisements for patent medicines.

The Guardian - Books

I had grown up with her pictures and was in awe of her, and also taken aback by the mismatch between the soft, deep, clear beauty of her black-and-white photos that contain every shade and grain of grey and the unassuming, unadorned figure she cut.

The Guardian - Arts

It is intended to cut costs and speed up criminal trials by building what the police refer to as "appropriate case files" that contain the minimum forensic evidence needed to secure a conviction.

The Guardian

"The policy should further consider whether all future funding agreements should contain a clause that stipulates that it is a condition of Australia Council funding that the applicant does not unreasonably refuse private sector funding, or does not unreasonably terminate an existing funding agreement with a private partner," Brandis wrote.

The Guardian

However, herbal practitioners don't need a licence to supply medicines that they create on their own premises following one-to-one consultations, as long as they don't contain banned substances.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

But the truth is it already has, and it is hard to see how Kiev can retrieve the lost territory without the use of force on a scale that would be hard to contain – and that the precarious Kiev government may not even have.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "contain", ensure that the subject clearly holds or includes the object. For example, "The box contains books" is clearer than "Books are contained by the box".

Common error

Avoid using "contain" in passive constructions when an active voice would be clearer and more direct. Instead of "The information is contained in the report", write "The report contains the information."

Linguistic Context

"Contain" functions primarily as a transitive verb, indicating that a subject holds, includes, or restrains something within itself. Ludwig confirms this, showing numerous examples where "contain" is used to describe the contents of physical objects or abstract concepts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Books

10%

Lifestyle

5%

Arts

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the verb "contain" is used to express the idea of including something, or having something inside. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and very common in various contexts. Predominantly found in "News & Media", "Science", and "Formal & Business" settings, "contain" serves to describe composition, limitations, or boundaries. To improve your writing, use "contain" actively and directly, clarifying the subject and object relationship. Avoid passive constructions for clearer communication. Consider alternatives such as "include", "comprise", or "hold" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

include

This alternative focuses on the act of comprising or having as a part.

comprise

This term implies that something is made up of specified parts or elements.

hold

This suggests having something within a space or boundary.

accommodate

Focuses on providing space or capacity for something.

incorporate

Implies including something as an integral part.

embody

To give a tangible or visible form to an idea, quality, or feeling.

restrain

Highlights the act of keeping something under control or within limits.

control

Emphasizes the ability to manage or direct something.

repress

Suggests suppressing or holding back something forcefully.

limit

Implies setting a boundary or restriction on something.

FAQs

How can I use "contain" in a sentence?

Use "contain" to indicate that something includes or holds something else within it. For example, "This bottle contains water" or "The report contains important data".

What can I say instead of "contain"?

You can use alternatives like "include", "comprise", or "hold" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct: "the box contains books" or "the box includes books"?

Both are correct, but they have slightly different nuances. "The box contains books" implies physical holding, while "the box includes books" suggests that the books are part of a set or collection within the box.

What's the difference between "contain" and "comprise"?

"Contain" means to hold or include something, whereas "comprise" means to be made up of something. A box might "contain" books, but the books "comprise" the contents of the box.