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self-contained

self-contained

2 5.9
A person who is calm and does not show strong feelings
  • adjective
  • /ˌsɛlf kənˈteɪnd/
translation icon : sereno
  • Even in stressful situations, she remained a self-contained individual, displaying calm and composure.
  • a self-contained man
  • a self-contained person
  • quiet and self-contained

The students who felt ready, confident, self-contained about this idea.

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Examples

  • The girl was self-contained, dark-haired, and beautiful; she was young but at the same time mythical, like Cleopatra.

    Academic text (2007)
  • I think he should come along with me, but he seems so self-contained.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • You are the first, but you will pay the same price all of them will pay me, she said, now perfectly calm and self-contained.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • I think I could turn and live with animals; they are so placid and self-contained.

    Academic text (2011)
  • She's always been a little self-contained.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • They were very self-contained and went for long walks with their dog.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Hollis has the anxious look of an errand boy, while Buddy is self-contained and quietly forceful for his age.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Moses has a self-contained demeanor that impresses his classmates with its peacefulness.

  • The self-contained expression on her face suggested she was in control of her emotions.

Synonyms

self-assured
vsself-contained
11 4.1

Confident about your abilities and decisions

is calm and composed rather than primarily showing personal confidence or pride
self-possessed
vsself-contained
3 7.2

Calm and confident in control of your feelings in difficult situations

is calm and composed but more neutral lacking the extra confident tone
poised
vsself-contained
1 5.1

Calm and confident in a difficult situation

is calmer inwardly and focuses on composed control rather than outward manner
equanimous
vsself-contained
  • Formal
1 9.5

Calm and steady in difficult situations

is composed and in control but less focused on steady emotional balance
self-collected
vsself-contained
6.1

Calm and in control of your feelings in difficult situations

is calm and controlled but less completely in command under stress
collected
vsself-contained
3.9

Calm and in control during a difficult situation

is calm and composed more generally not only in hard moments

Antonyms

535 2.1

Showing strong feelings that are easy to see

80 4.4

Not steady and likely to change, fail, or fall

How Composed

self-contained
2 5.9
composed
1 4.3
calm
735 1.0
uneasy
98 3.2
agitated
49 4.1

Surface Forms

self-contained positive

Morphology

self-contained = contained (semi-transparent) = self + contain + ed

Adding self- to contained is compositionally straightforward, because the form clearly signals something characterized by being contained in or by oneself.

Etymology

Self-contained comes from self ('oneself') and contain ('to hold inside'), so a self-contained person keeps their feelings 'inside' and appears calm and in control.