merry-go-round
noun
mer·ry-go-round
ˈmer-ē-gō-ˌrau̇nd 
-gə-
1
a
: an amusement park ride with seats often in the form of animals (such as horses) revolving about a fixed center
The children grabbed each other by the hand and danced off in the direction of the merry-go-round, toward the wonderful music and the wonderful adventure and the wonderful excitement …—
E. B. White
E. B. Whitecalled also carousel
b
: a children's playground apparatus consisting of a platform that revolves about a fixed center
And every day at recess, Reuben would push us on the merry-go-round on the playground. He would push us really fast, and we all thought Reuben made recess great fun—as long as we held on tight and didn't fall off as we whirled around.—Terri Auchter
Terri Auchter2
: a cycle of activity that is complex, fast-paced, or difficult to break out of
the corporate merry-go-round
Examples of merry-go-round in a Sentence
weary of the daily merry-go-round of commuting to his job in the city
Recent Examples on the Web
In the photos, the mother-son pair seemingly enjoyed rides, a merry-go-round and so much more.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
The structures don’t include accessible swings or merry-go-rounds, or any kind of enrichment such as textured panels or chimes for kids with disabilities.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 15 Oct. 2025
But these specific second-guess specials will be on the field coaching and playing the Dolphins on Sunday, and their performance will likely be a constant reminder that South Florida’s NFL franchise likely won’t exit the mediocrity merry-go-round until better decision-makers are put in place.
—Omar Kelly
october 10, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
But two years later, Ross wants to hop right back on the managerial merry-go-round.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for merry-go-round
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Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
The structures don’t include accessible swings or merry-go-rounds, or any kind of enrichment such as textured panels or chimes for kids with disabilities.
—Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 15 Oct. 2025
But these specific second-guess specials will be on the field coaching and playing the Dolphins on Sunday, and their performance will likely be a constant reminder that South Florida’s NFL franchise likely won’t exit the mediocrity merry-go-round until better decision-makers are put in place.
—Omar Kelly
october 10, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025
But two years later, Ross wants to hop right back on the managerial merry-go-round.
—Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for merry-go-round
Cite this Entry
“Merry-go-round.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/merry-go-round. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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