carve

verb

ˈkärv 

carved; carving

transitive verb

1

: to cut with care or precision

carved fretwork

2

: to make or get by or as if by cutting

—often used with out

carve out a career

3

: to cut into pieces or slices

carved the turkey

intransitive verb

1

: to cut up and serve meat

2

: to work as a sculptor or engraver

carver noun

Synonyms of carve

• sculpt

Examples of carve in a Sentence

We carved an ice sculpture.

Who is going to carve the turkey?

He carved while I made the gravy.

Recent Examples on the Web

The fighting has carved a path of destruction from agricultural towns near the border to Beirut, killing more than 2,000 people and displacing in excess of 1 million others, according to Lebanese authorities. —ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026

Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management, was cautiously optimistic, suggesting Washington may carve out safe-passage exemptions for allied vessels. —Anniek Bao, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2026

For years, Dean Potter stood atop the climbing world, attaining a mystique as a rebellious spirit who carved his own path up mountains and into the sky — through BASE jumping and wingsuit flying. —Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026

Little clay people greeted us along the way to a wooden front door carved with Mount Fuji. —Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English kerven, from Old English ceorfan; akin to Old High German kerban to notch, Greek graphein to scratch, write

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing carve

• carve up

Rhymes for carve

• starve

Kids Definition

carve

verb

ˈkärv 

carved; carving

1

: to cut with care or exactness

2

: to cut into pieces or slices

3

: to cut up and serve meat

carver noun