Remain

/ɹɪˈmeɪn/

Synonyms for "remain" (202 found)

Ranked by relevance and common usage.

Closest matches (41)

abidebalancebebe foundbe leftbe locatedbe met withbe presentbe situatedbe stillbe thereberthbidebodybunkcadavercarcasscarry oncease notcoast
Show 3 more words
cohabitcontinuecontinue to be
Noun(6 words)
aftertastesartart thou wellbe stablebodiescontinue
Adjective(1 words)
ancient remains

Strong matches (60)

corpsedebrisdefeat timedefy timedetritusdomiciledomiciliatedoss downdrag ondwelldwell inendureexistextendfragmentsfreezego alonggo onhanghang out
Show 20 more words
holdhold onhold outhold steadyindwellinhabitinherejog onkeepkeep goingkeep onkeep quietlastlast longlast outleavingsleftoverslielie stilllinger
Adjective(2 words)

Related words (101)

livelive onlive throughlodgemaintainmark timenestnever ceasenot breathenot stiroccupyoccuroddmentsodds and endsperchperdureperennateperseverepersistprevail
Show 38 more words
remain motionlessremainderremainsreposeresideresiduerestroomroostrunrun onscrapssettleslog onsquatstagger onstandstand faststand firmstand stillstaystay onstay putstickstick aroundstick fastsubsistsurvivesustaintarrytenanttide overtracestread watervestigeswaitwearwear well
Verb(25 words)
Show 5 more words
Noun(14 words)
manetoverstaypersistportuguese existirremainderremains of the buildingresiduestaystay behindstay positionstayingstaysstick aroundsubsisting
Determiner(2 words)
no motion changesome remain
Adjective(2 words)
stay put orderunchanged size

Choosing the right synonym

  • Closest matches in this entry: continue, stay, abide, abide, abides.
  • Sentence evidence is available for remain, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
  • Ranking signals come from wiktionary, wordnet, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.

Synonym selection checklist

  • Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
  • Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
  • Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "remain".
  • Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.

When not to replace "remain"

Keep "remain" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.

If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.

Replacement workflow

1. Preserve meaning

Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "remain" intact in the sentence you are editing.

2. Tune tone

Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.

3. Re-read context

Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.

Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.

Final fit check

After choosing a replacement for "remain", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.

If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "remain" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.

Related word relations

OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.

5 relation types

More general

9 entries
action verbbebodyexistpartportionstate of beingstay in placeverb

More specific

10 entries
corpseoffcutremain constantremain seatedremain undecidedremnantskeletonstay after classstay after hoursstay put

Collocations

10 entries
ancient remainshuman remainsmortal remainsremaining piecesremaining timeremains a mysteryremains of the buildingremains of the houseskeletal remainsthe remains

Inflections

3 entries

Derivations

3 entries

Sample sentences

23 total sentences available.

Tatoeba + Wiktionary

How many days will you remain in London?

Source: tatoeba (16331)

Come what may, we must remain cheerful.

Source: tatoeba (25005)

The best bet on a rainy day is to remain indoors.

Source: tatoeba (26719)

One important thing to remember is that Americans may remain silent when you say something they don't agree with.

Source: tatoeba (27851)

Showing 4 of 23 available sentences.

Common questions

What are the closest synonyms for "remain"?

Closest matches include continue, stay, abide, abide, abides.

How should I check whether a synonym fits "remain"?

Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.

More for "remain"