carol

noun

car·ol | \ ˈker-əl

, ˈka-rəl\

Definition of carol

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : an old round dance with singing

2 : a song of joy or mirth the carol of a bird— Lord Byron

3 : a popular song or ballad of religious joy

carol

verb

caroled or carolled; caroling or carolling

Definition of carol (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to sing especially in a joyful manner

2 : to sing carols specifically : to go about outdoors in a group singing Christmas carols

transitive verb

1 : to praise in or as if in song

2 : to sing especially in a cheerful manner : warble

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Examples of carol in a Sentence

Noun

We sang our favorite carols while we decorated the tree. sang carols at the Christmas Eve service

Verb

Last night, we went caroling with our friends. she caroled with glee when she heard the good news

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

There’s music in every paragraph of this story, the words as warmly pleasing as a holiday carol. — Danny Heitman, WSJ, "An Ode to Holiday Companionship," 21 Dec. 2018 The performance of the carol by Austria’s Kroll Family Singers and ensembles from Trinity Church took place at the Alexander Hamilton memorial in the Trinity churchyard. — Deepti Hajela, The Seattle Times, "200 years of ‘Silent Night’: Singers mark carol’s birthday," 28 Nov. 2018 Culture > TV & Movies There are those for whom the winter holidays mean carols and presents and cookies galore, but for the film industry, Christmas break tends to mean one thing: big box office. — Vogue, "Here’s What You Want to See in Movie Theaters This Holiday," 24 Dec. 2018 There's just something about coordinated jammies that makes sipping on egg nog, opening gifts, and singing holiday carols that much more festive and enjoyable. — Noelle Devoe, Seventeen, "19 Photos that Prove Matching Pajamas are The Secret to Eternal Happiness," 5 Oct. 2016 Lyrics will be projected on-screen for the carols so everyone can sing along, and attendees are also invited to share photos from past holiday sing-a-longs, which will be displayed in an on-screen slideshow during intermissions. — Adam Lukach, RedEye Chicago, "Watch, sing along with 'It's a Wonderful Life' and 'White Christmas' at Music Box Theatre," 1 Dec. 2017 During the peak of winter darkness [in mid December], choirs dressed in white, with candles in their hands, sing winter carols. — Nina Sovich, WSJ, "Europe in Winter: 35 Reasons to Visit Off-Season," 21 Nov. 2018 Located on Christmas Tree Lane, the lobby features a full size Christmas tree, garlands with lights, and a Glockenspiel that plays carols twice a day. — Megan Friedman, Country Living, "This Hotel Celebrates Christmas All Year Round Because Holiday Miracles Are Real," 19 Oct. 2018 At the zoo's annual breakfast and lunch with Santa, guests will enjoy Christmas carols and visit not only with Santa, but also with Mrs. Claus and the elves. — Amy Schwabe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Ho ho ho! 4 places to see Santa in metro Milwaukee," 16 Nov. 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

And obviously the movie starts with them caroling and cutting down the tree and bringing it to the house. — Taysha Murtaugh, Country Living, "We Can't Believe We Never Noticed This Weird Thing About 'Christmas Vacation'," 15 Dec. 2017 This 19th-century celebration of Christmas will feature storytelling, live performances by holiday characters, horsedrawn bobsled rides, caroling, food sampling and a visit with Santa. — Amy Schwabe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Weekend guide: "The Nutcracker" opening, Dickens of a Day, holiday animation and more," 6 Dec. 2017 Celebrate the birth of a Brit Lit great with a brooding stroll across England’s moor country, or carol your way through a not-so-silent night in Austria’s Salzburg region this Christmas to celebrate 200 years of a world-famous hymn. — Ryan P. Smith, Smithsonian, "Ten Major Anniversaries Worth Traveling For This Year," 30 Jan. 2018 If the temperature doesn't drop into the single digits, the party may continue in the form of caroling around a few neighborhoods. — Liz Matthews, Town & Country, "Local Holiday Color," 19 Dec. 2013 Mr. Pintard, Mr. Goldstein said, was upset by the rowdy and boozy celebrations held around Christmas by farm hands indulging in caroling sessions. — Corey Kilgannon, New York Times, "Santa’s a New Yorker. You Got a Problem With That?," 15 Dec. 2016 She and Kirsten met thirteen years ago, at the Christmas-carolling party of a mutual friend. — Adam Davidson, The New Yorker, "The Prairie Wife," 13 Feb. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'carol.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.