remain

UK: /rɪˈmeɪn/ US: /rɪˈmeɪn/ ,(ri mān′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•main /rɪˈmeɪn/   v. 

1. to continue to be as specified: [~ + adjective]
   [not: be + ~-ing] He remained loyal to his friends.
   [~ + object]
   He remained a bachelor for many years.
2. to stay behind or in the same place:
   [no object] He remained at home while the others left.
3. to be left after the removal, loss, or destruction of all else:
   [no object] Few buildings remain in that neighborhood.
4. to be left to be done, told, shown, etc.: [no object]
   [no object] Two questions remain.
   [~ + to + verb]
   A few things remain to be done.

n. remains, [plural]

5. something that remains or is left.
6. • traces of some quality, condition, etc.
   • a dead body;
     corpse.
   • parts or substances remaining from animal or plant life:
     fossil remains.

See -man-².

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

re•main  (ri mān′), v.i. 

1. to continue in the same state;
   continue to be as specified:
   to remain at peace.
2. to stay behind or in the same place:
   to remain at home; I'll remain here when you go to the airport.
3. to be left after the removal, loss, destruction, etc., of all else:
   The front wall is all that remains of the fort.
4. to be left to be done, told, shown, etc.:
   Only the dishwashing remains.
5. to be reserved or in store.

n. 

6. Usually, remains. something that remains or is left.
7. remains:
   • Literature miscellaneous, fragmentary, or other writings still unpublished at the time of an author's death.
   • traces of some quality, condition, etc.
   • a dead body;
     corpse.
   • parts or substances remaining from animal or plant life that occur in the earth's crust or strata:
     fossil remains; organic remains.

• Latin remanēre, equivalent. to re- re- + manēre to stay; see manor
• Anglo-French remain-, stressed stem of Middle French remanoir
• late Middle English remainen 1375–1425

Synonyms

• 1. abide, stay. See continue. 
• 2. wait, tarry, rest.
• 3. endure, abide.

Antonyms

• 2. depart.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

remain / rɪˈmeɪn/ verb (mainly intr)

1. to stay behind or in the same place: to remain at home, only Tom remained
2. (copula) to continue to be: to remain cheerful
3. to be left, as after use, consumption, the passage of time, etc
4. to be left to be done, said, etc: it remains to be pointed out

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French remanoir, from Latin remanēre to be left, from re- + manēre to stay