carry on

verb

carried on; carrying on; carries on

transitive verb

: to continue doing, pursuing, or operating

carry on research

carried on the business

intransitive verb

1

: to continue especially in spite of hindrance or discouragement

chose to carry on despite the weather

2

: to behave or speak in a foolish, excited, or improper manner

shocked at how he carries on

Synonyms of carry on

• act out
• misconduct
• disobey
• run riot
• raise Cain
• rebel
• act up

Examples of carry on in a Sentence

a toddler crying and carrying on in the store

she bravely carried on despite the loss of her husband

Recent Examples on the Web

As per the tests carried on behalf of the company, MST enabled more than a 10x reduction in parasitic channel charge, reducing a key mechanism of RF power loss and supporting improved high-frequency GaN device performance. —Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 8 June 2026

Today the designation of waterman or -woman is bestowed upon ocean connoisseurs who excel at paddling, free diving, surfing, and navigation, and big-wave athlete Kai Lenny is one of those carrying on this legacy. —Arati Menon, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026

Dress it up or down with the right accessories, including these wedge sandals, this breathable sun hat, and of course, a small purse to carry on formal nights. —Sian Babish, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026

The cave system, according to the coordinator, has become too unstable to safely carry on with the search. —Aicha El Hammar Castano, ABC News, 7 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1638, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Rhymes for carry on

• aileron
• antiphon
• autobahn
• carillon
• castellan
• celadon
• cephalon
• cynodon
• denouement
• deuteron
• echelon
• epsilon

Kids Definition

carry on

verb

1

: conduct entry 2 sense 2, manage

carries on a business

2

: to continue especially in spite of difficulties

still carrying on

3

: to behave badly

embarrassed at the way you carried on