containment

[ kuhn-teyn-muhnt ]

noun

1. the act or condition of containing.
2. an act or policy of restricting the territorial growth or ideological influence of another, especially a hostile nation.
3. an act or policy of limiting the expansion or spread of a natural disaster, contagious disease, or other dangerous thing: Local farmers notified authorities of sick and dying birds more quickly than the previous year, ensuring quick containment of infection on the farm.

   Containment of the wildfire reached nearly 40% before powerful winds carried embers over the perimeter, reducing containment.

   Local farmers notified authorities of sick and dying birds more quickly than the previous year, ensuring quick containment of infection on the farm.

4. (in a nuclear power plant) an enclosure completely surrounding a nuclear reactor, designed to prevent the release of radioactive material in the event of an accident.

containment

/ kənˈteɪnmənt /

noun

1. the act or condition of containing, esp of restraining the ideological or political power of a hostile country or the operations of a hostile military force
2. (from 1947 to the mid-1970s) a principle of US foreign policy that sought to prevent the expansion of Communist power
3. Also calledconfinement physics the process of preventing the plasma in a controlled thermonuclear reactor from reaching the walls of the reaction vessel, usually by confining it within a configuration of magnetic fields See magnetic bottle

containment

1. A policy aimed at controlling the spread of communism around the world, developed in the administration of President Harry S. Truman . The formation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( NATO ) in 1949 was an important step in the development of containment.

Word History and Origins

Origin of containment¹

First recorded in 1645–55; contain + -ment

Example Sentences

As firefighters increase containment against Ventura County’s devastating Mountain fire, new access to burned areas has revealed even more damage from the blaze that exploded last week during an exceptional wind event.

From Los Angeles Times

As winds started to subside Thursday night, firefighters made their first inroads against the blaze, reaching 5% containment.

From Los Angeles Times

By Thursday morning, the fire had burned 14,500 acres with zero containment.

From Los Angeles Times

“Without containment, golden mussels are likely to spread to other freshwater bodies in California, and to other ports and inland waters of North America, and abroad.”

From Los Angeles Times

It's a metaphor for something and containment of some kind.

From Salon

Related Words

• authority
• curb
• discipline
• domination
• force
• government
• jurisdiction
• management
• oversight
• regulation
• restraint
• restriction
• rule
• supervision