remain
Americanverb (used without object)
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to continue in the same state; continue to be as specified.
to remain at peace.
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to stay behind or in the same place.
to remain at home;
I'll remain here when you go to the airport.
- Antonyms:
- depart
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to be left after the removal, loss, destruction, etc., of all else.
The front wall is all that remains of the fort.
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to be left to be done, told, shown, etc..
Only the dishwashing remains.
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to be reserved or in store.
noun
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Usually remains. something that remains or is left.
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remains,
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miscellaneous, fragmentary, or other writings still unpublished at the time of an author's death.
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traces of some quality, condition, etc.
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a dead body; corpse.
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parts or substances remaining from animal or plant life that occur in the earth's crust or strata.
fossil remains;
organic remains.
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verb
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to stay behind or in the same place
to remain at home
only Tom remained
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(copula) to continue to be
to remain cheerful
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to be left, as after use, consumption, the passage of time, etc
a little wine still remained in the bottle
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to be left to be done, said, etc
it remains to be pointed out
Related Words
See continue.
Other Word Forms
- unremaining adjective
Etymology
Origin of remain
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English remainen, from Anglo-French remain-, stressed stem of Middle French remanoir, from Latin remanēre, equivalent to re- re- + manēre “to stay”; manor
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But those decisions might take months because executives will want to make sure that prices will remain elevated.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
The bond market, however, will close early at 2 p.m. on Thursday and remain closed on the religious holiday.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
The license renewal from the commission allows the plant to remain running for 20 years, although extending it past 2030 would require additional action from the California Legislature.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
Ambulance response times in Scotland and across the UK remain under intense scrutiny, with reports of patients waiting hours for care.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
Under the terms of the treaty with England, enslaved people who had escaped to the British are returned to their owners; some who had been promised freedom by Andrew Jackson remain in slavery.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
