carries; carried; carrying
1
: to move (something) while holding and supporting it
She helped me carry [=transport] the boxes out to my car.
I'll carry your luggage to your room.
He was carrying his baby daughter in his arms.
For two months, I carried the book around with me everywhere I went.
The waitress carried away our empty dinner plates.
The wind carried the smoke away from the campsite.
These planes can carry up to 300 passengers.
a ship carrying thousands of gallons of oil
—sometimes used figurativelyYour talent will carry you far. [=it will make you very successful]
She intended the play to carry audiences toward a sense of peace and understanding.
She still carries the memories of an unhappy childhood.
The song carries me back to [=it makes me remember] my first year of college.
2
: to contain and direct the flow of (water, electricity, etc.)
Oil is carried to the factory through these pipes.
We installed gutters that will carry water away from the house.
blood vessels that carry blood to the heart
These cables carry electricity to hundreds of homes.
The bridge carries traffic in two directions.
3
: to have (something) with you or on your body
Do police officers carry guns when they're off duty?
This bus driver doesn't carry change, so please have the exact fare ready.
I always carry $20 in case of an emergency.
tourists carrying cameras
4
: to be able to give (a disease or a gene) to others even though you may not be affected by it
One percent of the population now carries the virus, and one in three will suffer symptoms of the disease.
5
: to be pregnant with (a baby)
She's carrying her second child.
6
: to hold (your body or your head) in a particular way
He's over 80 years old and still carries himself erect/upright like a soldier.
Be proud of yourself. Walk tall and carry your head high!
She always carries [=(more formally) comports] herself with dignity and grace.
7
a
: to have (something) in a store and ready to be sold : to keep (something) in stock
Our grocery store carries a good selection of wines.
We no longer carry that brand.
b
: to have (someone or something) on a list or record
The company carries nearly 200 employees on its payroll.
8
a
: to have (something) as a quality or characteristic
All of our products carry a lifetime guarantee.
Your promises would carry more weight [=they would be more meaningful] if you didn't break them so often.
b
: to be marked or labeled with (something)
Cigarettes are required to carry a government health warning.
men who carry the physical scars of war
9
: to have (something) as a result or consequence
Such crimes carry [=entail, involve] a heavy penalty.
The surgery does carry certain risks.
—often + withYou must understand that the job carries with it great responsibility.
10
: to have (something) as a duty or responsibility
I'm carrying a full course load this semester.
He carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. [=he feels much pressure because he has great responsibilities]
11
: to be responsible for the success of (something or someone)
He's a player that's capable of carrying a team on his own.
Her spectacular performance as Carmen carried the opera.
12
a
: to make (something) continue
They carried [=took, extended] the game into the 10th inning.
The newspaper carried the story over to the following page.
The design calls for the columns to be carried all the way up to the top of the building.
carrying the war to another continent
b
: to travel a long distance
His deep voice carries well.
Baseballs don't carry well in cold weather.
13
: to continue (something) beyond a normal or acceptable limit
He realized that he had carried the joke too far and hurt her feelings.
14
: to sing (a tune) correctly
I've never been able to carry a tune.
15
: to present (a story, sports event, TV show, etc.) to the public
Channel 9 will carry the game.
Every local newspaper carried [=ran] the photograph.
The trial was carried live [=broadcast as it was happening] on television.
16
a
: to cause (a bill or an official proposal) to be passed or adopted
—often used as (be) carried
The bill was carried in the Senate by a vote of 75-25.
He called for a motion to stop debate, but the motion did not carry.
The motion carried unanimously. [=everyone voted to pass it]
b
chiefly US
: to win a majority of votes in (a state, legislature, etc.)
The bill carried the Senate by a vote of 75-25.
In the presidential election of 1936, Franklin D. Roosevelt carried [=won, took] all the states except Maine and Vermont.
17
: to move (a number) from one column to another when you are adding numbers together
When you added these two numbers, you forgot to carry the 1.
plural carries
American football
: the act of running with the ball
He averaged four yards per carry this season.
Cite this Entry
“Carry.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/carry. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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