contain

/kənˈteɪn/

//kənˈteɪn// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"contain" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“contain” has 10 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #2,984. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#2,984
frequency rank, English
5,599
“C” headwords
10
tracked misspellings
13
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To hold inside.

Corpus desk

Index EN-contain · contain · English

contain · rank #2,984 · 10 variants · 13 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #2,984
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 13 pairs
  • VAR-MID 10 variants
  • BOOK-DENSE 5,599
  • PHOTO-FINISH convention

Nearest frequency peer: convention (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “contain”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “contain” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

contain vs curtain
71% similar
contain vs contains
88% similar
contain vs contained
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for contain
PropertyValue
Headwordcontain
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/kənˈteɪn/
Letters7
Frequency rank#2,984
Misspellings tracked10
Confusable pairs13
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “contain”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).containlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “convention” (#2,985), “burning” (#2,982), “dancing” (#2,986). Among 5,599 “C” headwords, “contain” is #2,984. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 10 spelling variants around contain (IPA /kənˈteɪn/), averb. Corpus frequency is #2,984 among 5,599 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 5 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 10 likely wrong-spelling variants for contain, with forms such as "ccontain", "cnotain", and "conatin". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 13 confusable-pair relationships, "curtain", "contains", "contained", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English, borrowed from Old French contenir, from Latin continēre (“to hold or keep together, comprise, contain”), combined form of con- (“together”) + teneō (“to hold”). The correct English form is contain, spelled C-O-N-T-A-I-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    To hold inside.
  2. 2
    To include as a part.
  3. 3
    To put constraints upon; to restrain; to confine; to keep within bounds.
  4. 4
    To have as an element or subset.
  5. 5
    To restrain desire; to live in continence or chastity.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how contain appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The brown box contains three stacks of books.
  2. At half-past nine on this Saturday evening, the parlour of the Salutation Inn, High Holborn, contained most of its customary visitors. […] In former days every tavern of repute kept such a room for its own select circle, a club, or society, of habitués, who met every evening, for a pipe and a cheerful glass.

Etymology

From Middle English, borrowed from Old French contenir, from Latin continēre (“to hold or keep together, comprise, contain”), combined form of con- (“together”) + teneō (“to hold”).

Synonyms

encloseinholdcompriseembodyincorporateinholdcontrolcurbrepressrestrainrestrictstifle

Antonyms

excludeomitreleasevent

This word in other languages

contener(Español)contenir(Français)enthalten(Deutsch)conter(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ccontain
  • cnotain
  • conatin
  • conntain
  • containn
  • contani
  • contian
  • conttain
  • cotnain
  • ocntain

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of contain - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ccontain1cnotain2conatin2conntain1containn1contani2contian2conttain1
Edit distance from "contain"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "contain"?
"contain" is spelled C-O-N-T-A-I-N. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈteɪn/.
What does "contain" mean?
As a verb, "contain" means: To hold inside.
What words are commonly confused with "contain"?
"contain" is commonly confused with "curtain", "contains", "contained". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "contain"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "contain" is /kənˈteɪn/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "contain"?
From Middle English, borrowed from Old French contenir, from Latin continēre (“to hold or keep together, comprise, contain”), combined form of con- (“together”) + teneō (“to hold”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "contain", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 7 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

burning#2,982dancing#2,986aspects#2,979fingers#2,995

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (10 here; floor ≥5).

approval10 variantsfounded10 variantsmusical10 variantsinjured10 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list