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
Synonyms
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
Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 18 July 2024
Totes can be dressed up or down, can be packed away in a suitcase, or used as a carry-on depending on how large it- is.
—Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 July 2024
Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2023
On Friday morning at Norfolk International Airport in Virginia, a feline was discovered inside a passenger’s carry-on bag during a security screening.
—Forrest Brown, CNN, 3 Mar. 2023
Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 22 July 2024
Biden quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to carry on the campaign, but delegates are not compelled to support her.
—Stephanie Murray, The Arizona Republic, 21 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for carry-on 
Noun
Keep makeup minimal — and keep it in your carry-on.
—Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 18 July 2024
Totes can be dressed up or down, can be packed away in a suitcase, or used as a carry-on depending on how large it- is.
—Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 July 2024
Adjective
The compact case is smaller than a credit card, so it can easily be slid into your carry-on, personal item, or even your pocket without adding bulk.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2023
On Friday morning at Norfolk International Airport in Virginia, a feline was discovered inside a passenger’s carry-on bag during a security screening.
—Forrest Brown, CNN, 3 Mar. 2023
Verb
At various points, members stopped talking to one another; Weir, the rhythm guitarist, and Phil Lesh, the bass player, carried on a kind of cold duel over who’d be the standard-bearer.
—Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, 22 July 2024
Biden quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to carry on the campaign, but delegates are not compelled to support her.
—Stephanie Murray, The Arizona Republic, 21 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for carry-on
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'carry-on.' 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
“Carry-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carry-on. Accessed 26 Jul. 2024.
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