carve

verb

ˈkärv 

carved; carving

transitive verb

1

: to cut with care or precision

carved fretwork

2

: to make or get by or as if by cutting

—often used with out

carve out a career

3

: to cut into pieces or slices

carved the turkey

intransitive verb

1

: to cut up and serve meat

2

: to work as a sculptor or engraver

carver noun

Synonyms

• sculpt

Examples of carve in a Sentence

We carved an ice sculpture.

Who is going to carve the turkey?

He carved while I made the gravy.

Recent Examples on the Web

Parks and Rec public service manager Clare Cloyd said residents for years have asked the department to carve out a space for dogs. —Safiya Mohamed, Twin Cities, 7 July 2025

The best way to address this is to carve out a seller not equal to the total potential earnout that is subject to adjustment if the target is not met. —Richard Parker, Forbes.com, 6 July 2025

Any exceptions lawmakers want to carve out must be backed by a strong state interest that increases protections for minors. —Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 4 July 2025

Some of the second-year prospects in attendance were fighting to carve out a spot on the Panthers’ actual roster this week. —Cameron Priester, Sun Sentinel, 4 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English kerven, from Old English ceorfan; akin to Old High German kerban to notch, Greek graphein to scratch, write

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing carve

• carve up

Rhymes for carve

• starve

Kids Definition

carve

verb

ˈkärv 

carved; carving

1

: to cut with care or exactness

2

: to cut into pieces or slices

3

: to cut up and serve meat

carver noun