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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
The annual event includes food, carnival rides, music, crafts and a variety of activities. — David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026 In Barranquilla, an exclusive celebration at the embarkation point channels the city’s carnival, a convergence of African, Indigenous, and Spanish traditions brought to life through cumbia, mapalé, and color on every departure, year-round. — Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 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
  • Hang Out On The Lawrenceville Lawn Another place at the heart of the community is the Lawrenceville Lawn, a giant greenspace that hosts regular events, concerts, and festivals.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The festival’s opening and some of its program have backing from the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of festival
Adjective
  • There was something carnivalesque about Marcia’s intellectual riffs.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 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 dinner capped a long, but friendly, day of meetings and celebrations, as the world’s two most powerful leaders seek to settle trade differences while simultaneously thawing the icy relationship between the United States and China.
    — Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Beginning with a full museum activation on Thursday, the celebrations extend through the rest of the weekend, both at the museum's National Mall home and The Wharf, located along the historic Washington Channel of the Potomac River.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Sep. 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
  • Despite Nike‘s slate of signature basketball sneakers leaning into Halloween each year and Sabrina Ionescu being on her fourth model, a Nike Sabrina has never before been a part of the festivities.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026
  • At one point during the festivities, DJ Pee Wee (aka Anderson Paak, Mars’ opening act) took over the turntables inside the vinyl booth to hype up the crowd even more.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of festivity
Adjective
  • Manning will not only have to contend with a raucous Volunteers crowd but also take on a defense that has allowed just 14 points per game this season.
    — Ryan Canfield , Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The Border War was a raucous road environment for the Tigers, but Davis Wade stadium will have more than 60,000 fans strong.
    — PJ Green September 22, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of raucous
Adjective
  • Unlike regular golf tournaments, the first tee is boisterous with a flag-waving crowd and music.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The result is a boisterous, exhausting drama that struggles to balance trauma, satire and the painful legacy of Black sitcom fame.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 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 29 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on carnival

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about carnival

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