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

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 Blues Bourbon gets a classic R&B playlist, while the seasonal Snow Wheat whiskey is paired with Christmas carols. — Brad Japhe, Billboard, "How Distilleries Use Hip-Hop, EDM and Reggae to Age Booze," 20 June 2018 Enjoy Christmas carols and a Christmas feast at the Armory Dec. 22 and 23. — Chelsey Lewis, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Friday Festive Eve, The Nutcracker and more to do around Wisconsin this week," 17 Dec. 2017 Glimpse rarely seen artifacts, make a holiday craft, interact with costumed docents and hear holiday carols from noon to 1 p.m. and again from 3 to 4 p.m. Santa Claus will be making an appearance as well! — Amy Schwabe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Weekend guide: Milwaukee Holiday Parade, Deck the Streets of Old Milwaukee and more," 14 Nov. 2017 The only way to summon the man in red, Page recalls, was to sing Christmas carols at the top of your lungs. — Maria Carter, Country Living, "How a North Carolina Summer Camp Started Christmas in July," 13 July 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.