2 syllables: con, tained. Stress on tained.
kuhn-TAYND
/kəˈnteɪnd/
contained is pronounced kuhn-TAYND (/kəˈnteɪnd/). It has two syllables (con-tained), with the stress on "tained". Contained is the past participle and adjective form of contain. It refers to something that holds, includes, or holds within boundaries, or that is restrained or limited. In everyday usage, it describes a container’s capacity, a situation kept within limits, or an item enclosed or enclosed within something else.
Contained is the past participle and adjective form of contain. It refers to something that holds, includes, or holds within boundaries, or that is restrained or limited. In everyday usage, it describes a container’s capacity, a situation kept within limits, or an item enclosed or enclosed within something else.
- • Common Mistake 1: Weak or blurred /eɪ/ in the stressed syllable, leading to /e/ or /ɛ/ instead of /eɪ/. Correction: Hold the glide from /e/ to /ɪ/ clearly for the diphthong, and practice with minimal pairs like change/show vowel difference. • Common Mistake 2: Demarcation problems between /t/ and /n/, particularly in rapid speech; the alveolar contact for /t/ can merge with /n/. Effort: deliberately separate /t/ and /n/ with a small pause or light release before /n/. • Common Mistake 3: Final /nd/ cluster reduced to /n/ or /d/ only; ensure both consonants are audible. Exercise: practice /teɪnd/ with a heavy /nd/ closure, then blend into /t/ and /nd/.
"The box is contained within a larger crate."
"The data is contained in the secure database."
"She is contained by the ropes and cannot move freely."
Pronunciation: /kənˈteɪnd/ (US) or /kənˈteɪnd/ (UK). The primary stress is on the second syllable: con-TAINED. Start with a schwa /kən/ leading into a clear diphthong /eɪ/ as in “day,” then finish with the /nd/ cluster. In connected speech, you may hear |kən-ˈteɪnd| with a light, voiced final /d/. Mouth position: lips neuter, tongue relaxed for the schwa, tongue blade lifts to make the /eɪ/ glide, then the alveolar ridge contacts for /n/ and /d/.
Common issues: 1) Slurring the /t/ into /ɹ/ or turning /teɪnd/ into /taɪnd/. 2) Reduced first syllable: saying /kənˈtend/ instead of /kənˈteɪnd/. 3) Mispronouncing /n/ after a front vowel; keep clean alveolar contact. Correction: practice the /teɪ/ diphthong with a clear glide from /e/ to /ɪ/ then a crisp /nd/. Record to confirm the /n/ and /d/ are distinct; avoid a flattened vowel before /nd/.
US: /kənˈteɪnd/ with rhotic /r/ absent; UK: /kənˈteɪnd/ similar but crisper /t/ and stronger syllable separation; AU: /kənˈteɪnd/ like UK but with slightly broader vowel quality and less vowel reduction in some speakers. The main rhotic difference isn’t strong here; focus on the /eɪ/ quality and the final /nd/ release. All share stress on the second syllable; rhythm may be slightly more clipped in US everyday speech.
Because the word blends a clear /eɪ/ diphthong with a paused /t/ then a rapid /nd/ cluster. The transition from /teɪ/ to /nd/ requires precise tongue tip elevation for /t/ and a quick alveolar contact for /n/ and /d/ with minimal vocal fold effort. In rapid speech, /t/ can devoice slightly and the /eɪ/ may reduce toward /e/; ensure you keep the vowel quality steady and articulate the final alveolar stops crisply.
The word’s -ained ending often carries a subtle vowel length cue; in careful speech you’ll hear a full /eɪ/ before /nd/. Unique to this word is maintaining a steady /eɪ/ while quickly transitioning to /nd/; avoid a tenuous /ɪ/ sound in the middle. Also, the initial unstressed syllable is a weak schwa, which can tempt you to over-pronounce; keep the sequence smooth and the stress on the second syllable.
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- • US: rhotic influence is minimal here; ensure the /r/ is not inserted in the /kən/ portion; use a neutral /ə/ in the first syllable. • UK: crisper /t/ release and slightly stronger vowel quality; avoid over-drawing the /ə/ before /n/. • AU: broader vowel sounds and possibly less centralized /ə/; maintain your /eɪ/ as a clear diphthong with a clean /nd/; keep steady tempo and avoid elongating the first syllable. Use IPA: /kənˈteɪnd/ across varieties, with subtle timing differences.
Contained originates from the verb contain, from Old French contenir, from Latin continere, meaning “to hold together, bound, hold in.” The Latin continere is formed from com- “together” and tenēre “to hold.” In early English, contain was used in the sense of holding within or within limits, with forms like content and container evolving alongside. The past participle contained appeared in Middle English as a normal passive/ perfect participle form of contain, indicating something that had been held within or restrained. Over time, contained also took on adjectival uses, describing objects that are enclosed or restrained, as in “contained fire” or “contained within the limits,” and later as a general descriptor for things kept within set boundaries or conditions. Its pronunciation has remained stable in standard varieties, with stress on the second syllable in many conjugations and a clear -tʃən ending in connected speech depending on surrounding sounds. First known use citations appear in Middle English writings where contain was used to express physical holding, and by Early Modern English, contained appeared consistently as the past participle and adjective form describing enclosure. The word’s semantic evolution reflects shifts from physical containment to broader notions of limitation and jurisdiction, while the phonetic shape remained relatively conservative across centuries.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "contained" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "contained"
-ned sounds
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