containment

noun

con·​tain·​ment kən-ˈtān-mənt How to pronounce containment (audio)
Synonyms of containment
1
: the act, process, or means of keeping something within limits
the containment of health costs
2
: the policy, process, or result of preventing the expansion of a hostile power or ideology

Examples of containment in a Sentence

The company's hazardous waste containment plan is being reviewed. The government needs to adopt a containment strategy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Concerns mounted in July, when OpenAI disclosed that two of its models escaped containment, accessed the open internet and breached a company called Hugging Face. — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026 The Claremont Fire that started in July burned more than 6,600 acres of the Boise Foothills before reaching full containment in August. — Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026 Mason added that Litke is among the players who were instrumental in the Panthers’ containment of top running backs such as Lowell’s Tymothy James, Wheeler’s Levi Murray and Calumet’s Bryce Brandon. — Michael Osipoff, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 On Monday, firefighters were working to wash streaks of pink fire retardant off the streets and finish building containment lines around the charred hills between San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for containment

Word History

Etymology

contain + -ment

First Known Use

1655, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of containment was in 1655

Rhymes for containment

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Browse Nearby Words

container ship
containment
contakion
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Cite this Entry

“Containment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/containment. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on containment

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for containment

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about containment

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