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.
Kimani Kamau collapsed after being beaten at the line and was carried off on a stretcher by medical personnel. Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 9 Mar. 2026 As George takes Mabel on a tour of his kingdom, Ellen gobbles up a fish, while a friendly worm gets abruptly carried off by a bird that swoops in from the sky. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 2 Mar. 2026 She was carried off in a protective neck brace. ABC News, 2 Mar. 2026 His tribe was devastated for him as Kyle was carried off by the medical staff. Christopher Kuhagen, jsonline.com, 25 Feb. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Carry off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carry%20off. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster