hold back vs contain

hold back and contain both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
hold back	No	No	Yes	No
contain	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, contain is a hyponym of hold back; that is, contain is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than hold back:

hold back: prevent the action or expression of
contain: lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits

As verbs, hold back and contain are synonyms defined as:

hold back and contain: hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of

Other synonyms of hold back include arrest, check, stop, turn back.

hold back (verb)	contain (verb)
prevent the action or expression of	hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of
hold back, as of a danger or an enemy; check the expansion or influence of	lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits
hold back; keep from being perceived by others	include or contain; have as a component
secure and keep for possible future use or application	be divisible by
wait before acting	contain or hold; have within
refrain from doing	be capable of holding or containing