as in suitcase
a bag carried by hand and designed to hold a traveler's clothing and personal articles
the airline allows two carry-ons per person
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in to act out
to behave badly
a toddler crying and carrying on in the store
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to persist
to continue despite difficulties, opposition, or discouragement
she bravely carried on despite the loss of her husband
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to operate
to look after and make decisions about
carries on a business and still manages to run the household
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of carry-on
Charley Ward,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 July 2026
One of the most difficult parts of going carry-on-only in the summer is not being able to bring a full-sized sunscreen.
—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
30 June 2026
Dominique Fluker,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Pippa and Kate Middleton are frequently spotted attending matches together, while younger royals and relatives—including Amelia Spencer—are also seen carrying on the family's long-standing love of tennis.
—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for carry-on
Noun
But packing light isn’t typically synonymous with bringing an extra, bulky beach bag in your carry-on.
—
Charley Ward,
Condé Nast Traveler,
3 July 2026
One of the most difficult parts of going carry-on-only in the summer is not being able to bring a full-sized sunscreen.
—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
30 June 2026
Verb
Coming off a hard year, six friends carry on their tradition of vacationing together — now with a baby in tow.
—
Dominique Fluker,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2026
Pippa and Kate Middleton are frequently spotted attending matches together, while younger royals and relatives—including Amelia Spencer—are also seen carrying on the family's long-standing love of tennis.
—
Amanda Le,
InStyle,
29 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for carry-on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for carry-on
Noun
-
Considering flight attendants spend the majority of their week living out of a suitcase, their luggage has to be truly top-tier—capable of holding all of their work essentials, personal items, and more without missing a beat.
-
The suitcase containing the girl's body was found shortly after he was arrested, leading to the additional charges, police said.
Verb
-
Lawmakers must resist the temptation to act out of fear to block the growth of AI and its still largely unknown benefits.
-
But, again, is acting out of expediency and the desire to streamline a conclusive end the same as delivering a final season representing the best of The Bear?
Verb
-
According to Global Conflict Tracker, Russia occupies roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory and fighting persists with ongoing Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.
-
Ukraine's strike campaign started out earnestly in 2024 but has significantly intensified this year, helping Ukraine gain momentum in a grueling war of attrition that has persisted for more than four years since Russia's full-scale invasion.
Verb
-
Luis Mauricio Flores Ordonez, 33, was charged with owning an unregistered aircraft that was operated by another person.
-
Roy Gillian began operating the business as Gillian’s Wonderland Pier in 1965.
Verb
-
In addition, referees were instructed to apply the rules regarding fouls and misconducts more strictly – a move meant to protect players and their inventiveness.
Verb
-
The situation is pressing, but Coleman still manages to make a connection.
-
The platform has consistently managed volume over $1 billion daily since the soccer tournament began on June 11.
Verb
-
Santana-Mateo was booked on charges of breach of peace, engaging police in a pursuit, disobeying the direction of officer, reckless driving, failure to obey a stop sign, failure to drive right, failure to obey a traffic control signal and driving the wrong way on a one way.
-
In 2024, the agency claimed that X security staff sometimes had to pointedly disobey Musk in order to remain in compliance.
Verb
-
While older children can use sparklers, they should be supervised, Heckman said.
-
Between there, and running upstairs to supervise fittings of his monumentally sculptural work with his stylist Tallulah Harlech, the designer caught a rare moment to sit and talk.
Cite this Entry
“Carry-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carry-on. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
