car·ry-on
ˈker-ē-ˌȯn 
ˈka-rē-,
-ˌän
1
British
: carrying-on
2
: a piece of luggage suitable for being carried aboard an airplane by a passenger
: carried or suitable for being carried aboard
carry-on baggage
carried on; carrying on; carries on
: to continue doing, pursuing, or operating
carry on research
carried on the business
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
Examples of carry-on in a Sentence
Noun
the airline allows two carry-ons per person
Verb
a toddler crying and carrying on in the store
she bravely carried on despite the loss of her husband
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2025
Oftentimes, paying more for an airline that includes a carry-on is the best option.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Oct. 2025
Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2025
Two pairs of headphones get tossed into my carry-on, along with three extra chargers and a back-up watch.
—Kristen Geil, Outside, 27 Oct. 2025
Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
The epic ends with the death of Troy’s champion, Hector, but the war carries on.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carry-on
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Noun
To start, Southwest installed larger overhead bins for carry-on luggage, which appear tall enough for bags to be placed on their side.
—Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 16 Oct. 2025
Oftentimes, paying more for an airline that includes a carry-on is the best option.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Bagsmart Clear Toiletry Bags These clear toiletry bags live permanently in my carry-on—and my toiletries stay packed.
—Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2025
Two pairs of headphones get tossed into my carry-on, along with three extra chargers and a back-up watch.
—Kristen Geil, Outside, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
Xing’s solution is to simply carry on, on the belief that consumers will see through the brands that jump on the bandwagon to chase sales.
—Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
The epic ends with the death of Troy’s champion, Hector, but the war carries on.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carry-on
Cite this Entry
“Carry-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carry-on. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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