carnival 1 of 2

noun

ˈkär-nə-vəl How to pronounce carnival (audio)
Definition of carnivalnext
as in festival
a time or program of special events and entertainment in honor of something the town's annual Fourth of July carnival

Synonyms & Similar Words

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carnival

2 of 2

adjective

as in carnivalesque

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of carnival
Noun
See who can win the most tickets and get the biggest carnival prize. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026 The crowd is dominated by young people, with a joyous, almost carnival-like atmosphere in some parts. — Joseph Ataman, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
Adjective
The Children’s Zoo encouraged youngsters to feed and pet the animals, but eliminated carnival-style gimmicks that were common in zoos at the time. — San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 July 2022 The Queen is also expected to attend the Derby, one of her favorite horse race events, a concert at Buckingham Palace and the Platinum Jubilee Pageant, a carnival-style celebration during which many artists, including Ed Sheeran, will perform. — Monique Jessen, PEOPLE.com, 12 May 2022 See All Example Sentences for carnival
Recent Examples of Synonyms for carnival
  1. festival
  2. carnivalesque
  3. celebration
  4. riotous
  5. festivity
  6. raucous
  7. boisterous
  8. raffish
Noun
  • The city will soon be holding advisory meetings to develop the list of events and festivals that will occur in the next 12 months.
    — John Ramos, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Indians kick off Diwali festivities The Associated Press Diwali is the most important festival of the year in India, particularly for Hindus, and widely marked by prayers, family gatherings and the lighting of fireworks.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of festival
Adjective
  • Luhansk, this terra incognita of the independent Ukraine, is described in almost carnivalesque terms, but this is a carnival infused with absurdity and even cruelty.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Overall, there is a driving energy to the album as well as a haunted carnivalesque atmosphere.
    — Vogue, Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of carnivalesque
Noun
  • That focus, at the intersection of celebration and food, has set the tone for bringing people together at tables across Chicago ever since.
    — S. Sorrina Beecher, Chicago Tribune, 13 Nov. 2026
  • Vodun Days, an eight-day celebration of Benin’s indigenous spiritual traditions taking place January 2–9, 2027, will showcase ceremonies, music, and dance.
    — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Nov. 2026
Definition of celebration
Adjective
  • After a brief intermission, Toliver and Todd emerged onstage to riotous applause, hiking up the decibel levels in the room.
    — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The riotous 640-page doorstopper grapples with homophobia then and now, the lingering specter of colonialism, the tumult of the AIDS crisis, and frameworks of power that demand dominance or submission.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of riotous
Noun
  • The festivity also extends offline, reflecting continued recovery.
    — Denni Hu, Footwear News, 12 Nov. 2026
  • The city is selling itself as a modern example of a purple state turning solid blue, and its mayor, Mike Johnston, will kick off the festivities Thursday.
    — Nicholas Riccardi, Chicago Tribune, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of festivity
Adjective
  • Some loyalists donned their best Boston Raiders or Montreal Metros T-shirts, others filled their special edition popcorn buckets and soda cups, but all erupted into raucous cheers while viewing the penultimate and final episodes of the first season.
    — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 9 Nov. 2026
  • In three straight home games, the Carolina Panthers heard a raucous home crowd use their collective might to be heard.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of raucous
Adjective
  • The boisterous bass makes the near-constant kick drum a bit overbearing at times.
    — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The verdict St Vincent possesses an unexplored, get-away-from-it-all tranquillity that many more boisterous Caribbean islands would sell their last rum punch for.
    — James Rampton, TheWeek, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of boisterous
Adjective
  • So did the holdout Grealish tragics; those of us who still cling to the memories of his raffish breakout years.
    — David Ornstein, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • And then there's a top-of-his-game Chevy Chase as a devil-may-care golfer and Bill Murray as a raffish groundskeeper.
    — Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 18 June 2026
Definition of raffish

Browse Nearby Words

carnality
carnival
carnivalesque
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Cite this Entry

“Carnival.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carnival. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on carnival

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about carnival

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