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” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #2,984 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#2,984
frequency rank, English
7
letters
10
tracked misspellings
13
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To hold inside.

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)

Where “contain” sits in English frequency

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for contain is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kənˈteɪn/. Corpus data places it at rank #2,984 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

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.

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.

Using “contain”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-T-A-I-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kənˈteɪn/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “curtain” - see the side-by-side comparison. contain vs curtain
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list