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

Context Window ■ Red Bull partnered with Scania and PlusAI to deploy two autonomous trucks moving in perfect sync, carving a sub-one-second window for a stunt bike jump, demonstrating that the same precision tech powering commercial freight can now headline high-risk spectacle. —Gabriel Snyder, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025

These days Bigfoot or Sasquatch can be found everywhere from bumper stickers to T-shirts to carved figures outside of gas stations. —Sarah Sekula, USA Today, 21 Nov. 2025

This may be a relief for some people who want to be around others, but others may need to carve out some alone time for themselves. —Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 20 Nov. 2025

Experts say there are several reasons topical-first brands struggle to carve out a space in the broader wellness market. —Emily Burns, Footwear News, 19 Nov. 2025

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