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.
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 After several minutes of treatment on the field, Sonnett was placed on a stretcher and carried off to a standing ovation from the Portland crowd, which clearly remembered the 32-year-old fondly from her three seasons with the Thorns from 2016-19. Asli Pelit, New York Times, 25 July 2026 In Boerne, footage captured a group of deer being carried off by the flood. Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 17 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 1 Aug. 2026.

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