carry off

verb

carried off; carrying off; carries off
Synonyms of carry offnext

transitive verb

1
: to cause the death of
the plague carried off thousands
2
: to perform or manage successfully : bring off
tried to look suave but couldn't carry it off

Examples of carry off in a Sentence

the con artist would never have been able to carry off his schemes if it were not for the greed of his eager victims pray that the pestilence does not carry off any more souls than it already has
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
On the next day of the match, Australian wicketkeeper Bert Oldfield was hit on the head and suffered a fractured skull while facing Larwood (to a conventional field) and had to be carried off the field. Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Aug. 2026 An amateur game in Istanbul was halted earlier in 2026 when a seagull was struck by the ball mid-flight, prompting the home team’s captain to rush over and perform CPR on the bird before it was carried off the field for further care. Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026 Fans booed when the squirrel was finally captured and carried off under a towel, but the team says the animal was released in fine health. Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026 Shania Twain has performed in stadiums around the world and carried off not one but two Las Vegas residencies, but this summer, a smaller stage felt like a dream come true. Amanda Wicks, Pitchfork, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for carry off

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1640, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of carry off was circa 1640

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Cite this Entry

“Carry off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carry%20off. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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