car·ry-on
ˈker-ē-ˌȯn 
ˈka-rē-,
-ˌän
1
British
: carrying-on
2
: a piece of luggage suitable for being carried aboard an airplane by a passenger
: carried or suitable for being carried aboard
carry-on baggage
carried on; carrying on; carries on
: to continue doing, pursuing, or operating
carry on research
carried on the business
1
: to continue especially in spite of hindrance or discouragement
chose to carry on despite the weather
2
: to behave or speak in a foolish, excited, or improper manner
shocked at how he carries on
Synonyms of carry-on
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Noun
Verb
Examples of carry-on in a Sentence
Noun
the airline allows two carry-ons per person
Verb
a toddler crying and carrying on in the store
she bravely carried on despite the loss of her husband
Recent Examples on the Web
Bestreviews, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
The agency is not just made up of people giving pat-downs and finding bottles of water in carry-ons but has teams assessing threats and vulnerabilities along with intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 25 Mar. 2026
Carin Ryan, Travel + Leisure, 14 Jan. 2026
Vacuum Bags for Travel TikTok creators swear by vacuum-seal bags for squeezing more clothing into a carry-on.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Jan. 2026
Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2026
Five more successful landing missions followed, but there was no momentum to carry on beyond Apollo 17 in 1972.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for carry-on
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
This lightweight but durable carry-on bag can make packing for your next trip a little easier.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
The agency is not just made up of people giving pat-downs and finding bottles of water in carry-ons but has teams assessing threats and vulnerabilities along with intelligence and law enforcement agencies.
—Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Grab three for $9 with this multipack and stash them in your carry-on for your next trip—your feet will thank me later.
—Carin Ryan, Travel + Leisure, 14 Jan. 2026
Vacuum Bags for Travel TikTok creators swear by vacuum-seal bags for squeezing more clothing into a carry-on.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
Here, the brothers were two Brooklyn boys speaking with hyperbolic Italian accents — details carried on to other adaptations, with the outlandish voicework eventually making its way into the games.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2026
Five more successful landing missions followed, but there was no momentum to carry on beyond Apollo 17 in 1972.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for carry-on
Cite this Entry
“Carry-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carry-on. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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