merry-go-round

noun

mer·​ry-go-round ˈmer-ē-gō-ˌrau̇nd 

-gə-

1

a

: an amusement park ride with seats often in the form of animals (such as horses) revolving about a fixed center

The children grabbed each other by the hand and danced off in the direction of the merry-go-round, toward the wonderful music and the wonderful adventure and the wonderful excitement …

—E. B. White

called also carousel

b

: a children's playground apparatus consisting of a platform that revolves about a fixed center

And every day at recess, Reuben would push us on the merry-go-round on the playground. He would push us really fast, and we all thought Reuben made recess great fun—as long as we held on tight and didn't fall off as we whirled around.

—Terri Auchter

2

: a cycle of activity that is complex, fast-paced, or difficult to break out of

the corporate merry-go-round

Synonyms

• circle
• cycle
• round
• wheel
• zodiac

Examples of merry-go-round in a Sentence

weary of the daily merry-go-round of commuting to his job in the city

Recent Examples on the Web

Guests followed their carriage to the fields near their home, where the reception featured fairground rides including a merry-go-round, an onlooker told the outlet. —Eva Hartman, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2024

Now imagine doing that continuously for 24 hours, while riding a merry-go-round. —Panagiotis Tsiotras, Discover Magazine, 20 June 2024

The new merry-go-round joins Frontier Family Park, a $66 million play place with a lake and pickleball court that opened in Queen Creek on June 8, and the Poozeum, a museum devoted to fossilized poop that recently opened in Williams, Arizona, as places where families can play and learn. —Meredith G. White, The Arizona Republic, 11 June 2024

Not that he’s conflicted in the least: Rather than hop back on the merry-go-round with Jason Alexander, Larry opts to sell cars. —Larry Fitzmaurice, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1729, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

merry-go-round

noun

mer·​ry-go-round

ˈmer-ē-gō-ˌrau̇nd,

-gə-

1

: a circular revolving platform fitted with seats and figures of animals on which people sit for a ride

2

: a rapid round of activities : whirl

a merry-go-round of parties