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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as in carnivalesque
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of carnival
Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026
Go to a local carnival or county fair.
—Parents, 11 June 2026
Chloe McGowan, The Indianapolis Star, 27 June 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
Noun
The storms led the Lockport Chamber of Commerce to cancel the first night of its annual Old Canal Days festival, which includes a carnival, vendors and musical entertainment.
—Addison Wright, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2026
Go to a local carnival or county fair.
—Parents, 11 June 2026
Adjective
Whitestown's family-friendly Independence Day Celebration will kick off at 6 p.m. with live music, carnival-style food, a ticketed kid's zone and a fireworks show once the sun goes down.
—Chloe McGowan, The Indianapolis Star, 27 June 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
Noun
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In a news release on June 10, the Toledo Police Department said arrest warrants have been issued for Ka Nye Taylor, 20, in connection with the June 6 shooting near the Old West End Festival, a popular street festival that draws thousands of visitors each year.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
11 June 2026
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The festival will celebrate the LGBTQ+ culture, music, community and entertainment.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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The atmosphere, for a while, was carnivalesque.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
6 Apr. 2026
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Participants take over city streets for a carnivalesque monthly ride, contesting cars’ dominance.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Particularly when those celebrations involve more grandiose demonstrations of patriotism, or are organized by someone who doesn't share their political ideology or belief system.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
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But there were also a smattering of fans with pre-revolutionary flags who booed the Iranian national anthem and erupted in celebration when New Zealand scored an early goal.—
Henry Bushnell,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Adjective
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See the new photos from the riotous parody below.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 May 2026
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Attended by nearly 17,000 people, the Bowl’s biggest Spanish-language comedy event also featured a special (and sensual) musical performance by Colombian reggaeton heartthrob Feid, as well as Mexican comedian Sofia Niño de Rivera, who opened the show with her own riotous act.—
Malina Saval,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2026
Noun
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The historic victory sparked scenes of jubilation, with fans flooding the streets, celebrities joining in the festivities and city leaders planning a ticker-tape parade.—
Freddie Clayton,
NBC news,
14 June 2026
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The festivities will begin tomorrow afternoon with a media session which will showcase highlights from the past decade at the resort and provide the updates about the latest developments, according to the organizers.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Adjective
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Twenty-five hours after that, a raucous crowd at Blue FCU Arena was left silent.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
11 June 2026
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The film, which hits theaters June 19, screened at Lincoln Center to raucous reception a few days before our park conversation.—
Rachel Handler,
Vulture,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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The production generates periodic boisterous fun along the way through brisk staging, galvanizing projections and splashy costuming, plus a few entertaining performances rippling out of the cast in bigger and smaller roles.—
Christopher Smith,
Oc Register,
9 June 2026
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King’s voice and boisterous energy were an essential element of the television experience for Bulls fans over the last two decades.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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Smoking in a raffish suit like a film noir baddie with a shock of red hair ready to torch the world, Noble’s Richard employs a dusky, ironic voice to flaying effect.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Feb. 2026
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Slain Supervisor Harvey Milk is raffish in his bust, tossing his head back with his necktie askance — the image is taken from a famous Dan Niccoleto photograph in front of the Castro Camera store.—
J.K. Dineen,
San Francisco Chronicle,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Carnival.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carnival. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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