carry-on

1 of 3

noun

car·​ry-on ˈker-ē-ˌȯn How to pronounce carry-on (audio)
ˈka-rē-,
-ˌän
1
British : carrying-on
2
: a piece of luggage suitable for being carried aboard an airplane by a passenger

carry-on

2 of 3

adjective

: carried or suitable for being carried aboard
carry-on baggage

carry on

3 of 3

verb

carried on; carrying on; carries on

transitive verb

: to continue doing, pursuing, or operating
carry on research
carried on the business

intransitive verb

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

Examples of carry-on in a Sentence

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
Noun
And while this expandable carry-on suitcase from Travelpro has earned an impressive 9,000-plus five-star ratings at Amazon, it’s also earned a stamp of approval from airline workers as well. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2024 In 1970, my mom came to the U.S. from Ecuador on a tourist visa while pregnant with me, her invisible carry-on luggage. Suzanne Nuyen, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024 Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta, and Hawaiian Airlines offer one free carry-on (and one personal item) regardless of your cabin class; meanwhile, JetBlue and United restrict basic economy ticket holders to one personal item. Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Mar. 2024 Spirit has been a leader in the segment of the airline industry that offers very low, no-frills base fares that required passengers to pay extra for everything, including carry-on baggage. Chris Isidore, CNN, 4 Mar. 2024 Be aware that both Frontier and Spirit, which are ultra-low-cost carriers, charge low base fares with additional fees for seat assignments, carry-on and checked bags and other amenities. Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024 Conveniently, Target just discounted 900+ travel essentials, including carry-on spinners, weekender bags, packing cubes, and more. Megan Schaltegger, Travel + Leisure, 29 Feb. 2024 Passengers leaving their carry-on bags behind was considered an important factor in the 100% survival rate on the Japan Airlines A350 that crashed in Tokyo in January. Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024 Be aware that Frontier charges low base fares with additional fees for seat assignments, carry-on and checked bags and other amenities. Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 29 Feb. 2024
Adjective
The compact case is smaller than a credit card, so it can easily be slid into your carry-on, personal item, or even your pocket without adding bulk. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2023 On Friday morning at Norfolk International Airport in Virginia, a feline was discovered inside a passenger’s carry-on bag during a security screening. Forrest Brown, CNN, 3 Mar. 2023 Like most LCCs, Norse Atlantic charges extra for many add-ons to your reservation, including carry-on and checked baggage, seat assignments and onboard food and refreshments on the cheapest tickets. Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2023 Due to a risk of overheating, the FAA says spare lithium metal and lithium-ion batteries, including external battery packs and cellphone charging cases, must be placed in carry-on bags only. Hannah Sampson, Anchorage Daily News, 3 Mar. 2023 As a rule of thumb, an empty carry-on that's six pounds or less is considered lightweight. Rachel Klein, Popular Mechanics, 2 Mar. 2023 Louisa Ballou Half Moon One-Piece Swimsuit Now 75% Off Megan Thee Stallion, Bella Hadid, and Dua Lipa are just a sample of the celebrities who pack Louisa Ballou's botanical swimwear in their vacation carry-on bags. Halie Lesavage, Harper's BAZAAR, 1 Mar. 2023 Economy light follows the model of barebones economy, which allows passengers to bring one small carry-on only. Christopher Muther, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Feb. 2023 Depending on the seating, there can be fees for carry-on and checked bags. Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 28 Feb. 2023
Verb
The film explores how Native American women carry on traditions to improve their communities and the world. The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2024 The legacy of juke joints can be seen in a new generation of chefs and authors carrying on the tradition. Korsha Wilson, Bon Appétit, 11 Mar. 2024 This exhibition offers a look at how the studio, under Humberto’s direction, is carrying on the brothers’ work. Pilar Viladas, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 They were quickly escorted out though, and Victoria brushed off the disruption and the show carried on. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024 Ajay Allen — who played 153 regular-season snaps and averaged 5.2 yards per carry on 70 carries — could push Parrish for the No. 2 job. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2024 This practice of adorning oneself with beads carried on through time. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 The show carried on after Bruce’s exit with a Tribal Council on day 3, and Maddy Pomilla became the first person actually voted out of the game when Brandon Cottom played an idol so his one vote against her sent the 28-year-old charity projects manager home. Dalton Ross, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 So this also represented an opportunity to invest in the people and communities that carry on the traditions of producing agave spirits. Christopher Marquis, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'carry-on.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1967, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1638, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of carry-on was in 1638

Dictionary Entries Near carry-on

Cite this Entry

“Carry-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carry-on. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

carry on

verb
1
: conduct entry 2 sense 2, manage
carries on a business
2
: to continue especially in spite of difficulties
still carrying on
3
: to behave badly
embarrassed at the way you carried on

More from Merriam-Webster on carry-on

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!