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containment

kun-TAYN-munt /kənˈteɪn.mənt/

nounB2TOEFLIELTS

officialtechnical

The act or process of keeping something harmful within limits or under control.

Used extensively in wildland firefighting to describe creating perimeter firelines that stop fire expansion.

The story behind the word. Formed from contain plus the suffix -ment, deriving from Latin continere (to hold together or enclose), combining com- (together) with tenere (to hold).

Word relationships

confinement: Confinement often applies to restricting freedom or movement of individuals, whereas containment applies to fires, spills, or hazards.
restriction: Restriction relates to rules or limits, while containment implies physical perimeter control.

spread: Spread implies uncontrolled expansion of fire.
release: Release implies letting hazards escape freely.

Commonly confused with

extinguishment: Containment keeps the fire inside a perimeter, while extinguishment completely kills all flames.

Word family

contain (verb): To hold or keep within limits.
container (noun): An object for holding or carrying things.

Collocations

containment line
achieve containment
containment strategy

Example sentences

"Wildland crews established seventy percent containment around the perimeter of the forest fire." Wildfire Progress Report
"Secondary containment barriers prevented chemical runoff from reaching the local river." Hazmat Operations

Memory hook

CONTAINMENT CONTAINS the fire inside a box line. Hold it within bounds.

When not to use

Do not confuse with complete extinguishment; containment means preventing spread, not putting out every ember.

Fun facts

Wildfire containment percentages reflect how much of the fire perimeter is blocked by trenches, roads, or rivers.