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
Now nearly 60 years old, the Sugar Grove Corn Boil, organized annually by a citizen volunteer group, opened Thursday and runs through Sunday with its usual array of carnival rides, food vendors, kids’ activities and live entertainment. — David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026 Tuesdays, kids ride free all day and all guests pay $2 per carnival ride. — Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 24 July 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
  • Several years ago, performer and playwright Ty Autry had the idea of bringing together an Atlanta performing arts festival for the LGBTQ community.
    — Jim Farmer, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • One night earlier, Lipa made another appearance in the crowd at the festival.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of festival
Adjective
  • In Trinidad, which has a sizable population of Indian-origin immigrants, there is a local carnivalesque form of the holiday called Hosay.
    — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026
  • The atmosphere, for a while, was carnivalesque.
    — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 6 Apr. 2026
Definition of carnivalesque
Noun
  • Sacramento State is planning its biggest homecoming celebration yet as the university begins its first football season in the Mid-American Conference, but this year's festivities come with a major change after a concert last season ended in chaos.
    — Steve Large, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Unfortunately, the big 20th-anniversary celebration likely stymied any conversations around cleaning house.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 31 July 2026
Definition of celebration
Adjective
  • The joyous if relatively restrained gathering was the culmination of the riotous nationwide celebrations that had broken out on the evening of April 12, when the results of the parliamentary elections came in.
    — Gordon F. Sander, The New York Review of Books, 4 July 2026
  • Guns is an actor and writer, known for her razor-sharp observations and riotous voice.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
Definition of riotous
Noun
  • Sacramento State is planning its biggest homecoming celebration yet as the university begins its first football season in the Mid-American Conference, but this year's festivities come with a major change after a concert last season ended in chaos.
    — Steve Large, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • For the wedding festivities, Spencer wore a total of five custom Dolce & Gabbana dresses.
    — Amanda Le, InStyle, 30 July 2026
Definition of festivity
Adjective
  • The first walk-off home run of Clemens’ career set off a raucous celebration in the clubhouse, as the Twins went from having no pulse to running a marathon, delivering an unbelievable 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Target Field.
    — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • Apple employees were banned after a raucous night of celebrations, but were welcomed back decades later when Marc & Rose Hospitality purchased the hotel in 2011.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 July 2026
Definition of raucous
Adjective
  • Once a lawyerly panel, a takeover by a trio of conservatives deeply mistrustful of the state’s voting system has turned the board’s once mundane meetings into boisterous events packed with crowds of cheering and jeering activists.
    — Tamar Hallerman, AJC.com, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Matt Lucas and Marina Prior’s Thénardiers are boisterous and charming — more amiable sleazes than menacing scumbags, if that tracks.
    — Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 30 July 2026
Definition of boisterous
Adjective
  • 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
  • Kids join academies as raffish improvisors, little bundles of wild ideas and schemes.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 10 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 3 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on carnival

Nglish: Translation of carnival for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about carnival

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