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

Related Words

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
For traveling carnivals, rides are repeatedly disassembled, transported, and reassembled at different locations. — Jamal Goss, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026 More than 10,000 pumpkins, a corn maze, axe throwing, Instagram photo ops, fortune tellers, carnival games, and treats like apple doughnuts await at Chicago’s largest Halloween festival. — Michelle Mastro, Midwest Living, 9 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
  • Hundreds had gathered at the arena for a festival celebrating horse racing and Mexican culture.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The two-day music festival runs through early Sunday morning and was expecting about 40,000 fans each day.
    — Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 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
  • The numbers have grown as well, ballooning to around 5,000 during the height of the semiquincentennial celebration.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The farm's latest maze pays tribute to country music legend Dolly Parton, combining a fall favorite with a celebration of the singer's music and philanthropy.
    — Alexa Liacko, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of celebration
Adjective
  • 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
  • Adéla draws from the Britney Spears playbook on the track and ends up with a riotous song destined for Top 40 dominance.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of riotous
Noun
  • Those festivities have passed, of course, but Garcia is still excited to be in the neighborhood.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
  • There was, however, some confusion about when the festivities were supposed to begin.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of festivity
Adjective
  • Expect a raucous crowd at Progressive Field, as the Guardians look to make progress towards a return to the World Series for the first time since 2016.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Ionescu fired with her left hand in Jones’ direction, but the pass ended up in the front rows of a raucous State Farm Arena.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of raucous
Adjective
  • Brattin was a member of the Missouri Freedom Caucus, an outspoken group of conservatives whose disruptive and boisterous tactics defined Missouri politics for years.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Duncombe’s friends remember her sunny spirit, boisterous and infectious laugh, unbridled optimism and passion for new experiences.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 12 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on carnival

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about carnival

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