: dead and putrefying flesh
Vultures live chiefly on carrion.
also
: flesh unfit for food
Examples of carrion in a Sentence
Vultures live chiefly on carrion.
Recent Examples on the Web
Most vultures, in contrast, do not hunt for their food and are exclusively attracted to carrion.
—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 31 July 2023
On the island of Sumatra, the flower is pollinated by carrion flies and beetles who are drawn to the stinky smell.
—Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 14 July 2023
In the wild, smelling like a dead animal helps corpse flowers attract pollinators like carrion beetles and flesh flies, which lay their eggs or larvae in animal carcasses or rotting fruit.
—Victoria Sayo Turner, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 July 2023
The stench lures pollinating insects that are attracted to carcasses, such as carrion beetles and flies.
—Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2023
The giant raboon concentrates on the meat of the limbs and neck, leaving the rest to smaller, less powerful carrion feeders.
—Discover Magazine, 31 May 2018
Scientists also learned the condors’ carrion of choice has changed over the years.
—Byscience News Staff, science.org, 4 May 2023
Those fundamental dynamics, experts warn, might collapse under the sudden appearance of a thousand times more carrion than an ecosystem is designed to recycle—as in the case of a mass mortality event.
—Marion Renault, The New Republic, 3 May 2023
The deaths prompted theories that included everything from carrion bugs to spaceships and cult killings, according to the AP.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 22 Apr. 2023
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Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 31 July 2023
On the island of Sumatra, the flower is pollinated by carrion flies and beetles who are drawn to the stinky smell.
—Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 14 July 2023
In the wild, smelling like a dead animal helps corpse flowers attract pollinators like carrion beetles and flesh flies, which lay their eggs or larvae in animal carcasses or rotting fruit.
—Victoria Sayo Turner, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 July 2023
The stench lures pollinating insects that are attracted to carcasses, such as carrion beetles and flies.
—Kristen Taketa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2023
The giant raboon concentrates on the meat of the limbs and neck, leaving the rest to smaller, less powerful carrion feeders.
—Discover Magazine, 31 May 2018
Scientists also learned the condors’ carrion of choice has changed over the years.
—Byscience News Staff, science.org, 4 May 2023
Those fundamental dynamics, experts warn, might collapse under the sudden appearance of a thousand times more carrion than an ecosystem is designed to recycle—as in the case of a mass mortality event.
—Marion Renault, The New Republic, 3 May 2023
The deaths prompted theories that included everything from carrion bugs to spaceships and cult killings, according to the AP.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC News, 22 Apr. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'carrion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Carrion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carrion. Accessed 21 Sep. 2023.
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Kids Definition
carrion
noun
car·ri·on
ˈkar-ē-ən 
: dead and decaying flesh
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