as in restraint
the power to control one's actions, impulses, or emotions
a man of extraordinary self-containment, he refused to lose his temper even in the most trying of circumstances
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Recent Examples of self-containment
Stability starts with self-containment.
—
Usa Today, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
What sets Return apart is its perfect self-containment.
—Brad Shoup, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 2026
And for people who equate maturity with self-containment, that can feel threatening.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Throughout the crisis, her burgeoning friendship with the hostage’s wife, challenges Barb’s usual sense of propriety and self-containment.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2025
Cregger maintains the film’s self-containment.
—Andy Crump, Time, 9 Aug. 2025
Usa Today, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
What sets Return apart is its perfect self-containment.
—Brad Shoup, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 2026
And for people who equate maturity with self-containment, that can feel threatening.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Throughout the crisis, her burgeoning friendship with the hostage’s wife, challenges Barb’s usual sense of propriety and self-containment.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2025
Cregger maintains the film’s self-containment.
—Andy Crump, Time, 9 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-containment
restraint
Noun
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With the world facing profound suffering and division, moral voices calling for peace, restraint and sanctity of human life deserve to be protected and amplified, not condemned.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
29 Apr. 2026
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Initially, the couple was arrested on charges of first-degree manslaughter, first-degree unlawful restraint, intentional cruelty to persons, risk of injury to a minor and conspiracy to commit risk of injury to a minor.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-containment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-containment. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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