containment

noun

con·​tain·​ment kən-ˈtān-mənt How to pronounce containment (audio)
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.
The Palisades Fire, located in the Pacific Palisades, has destroyed about 5,000 structures and is at 31% containment. Megan Forrester, ABC News, 17 Jan. 2025 More than a billion gallons of coal ash slurry breached a containment pond, inundating 300 acres with toxic sludge and contaminating nearby waterways. Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 17 Jan. 2025 As of today, the Eaton fire has reached 65 percent containment and the Palisades fire is 31 percent contained, according to Cal Fire. Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Jan. 2025 Advertisement California Crews improve containment on Palisades, Eaton fires; some residents allowed to return Jan. 17, 2025 Pauline packed a few valuables and left with the children. Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025 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

Dictionary Entries Near containment

Cite this Entry

“Containment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/containment. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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