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
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
Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
In the photo, the twins could be seen enjoying vanilla and chocolate swirl ice cream cones at a carnival.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carnival
Noun
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
Adjective
Up until now, [Polarity has] always [thought his powers were] just a carnival trick.
—Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2025
In the photo, the twins could be seen enjoying vanilla and chocolate swirl ice cream cones at a carnival.
—Hannah Sacks, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for carnival
Recent Examples of Synonyms for carnival
Noun
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Its expanding partnership with distributor PepsiCo (similar to the deal between Monster and Coca-Cola), and its sponsorships of festivals, sporting events, and athletes is also helping establish its presence among consumers.—
Charlotte Hu,
Time,
23 Oct. 2025
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Throughout the festival, anyone looking for a drink (hot or cold and alcoholic or not) can find it at the 50-foot ice bar, which showcases the talents of local mixologists, breweries, and distilleries.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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With their flared, fringed petals, the flowers have a carnivalesque presence, but Oppenheim’s spare installation cuts the comedy.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
26 Sep. 2025
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Before last year’s trial, the blocks surrounding the Superior Court in Dedham developed a carnivalesque atmosphere.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2025
Noun
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By the time of the centennial celebration in 1926 (a year late), tens of thousands of miles of railroad track crossed the country.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
26 Oct. 2025
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Before, Singh said, citywide politicians engaged South Asian and Muslim voters at Hindu Diwali or Islamic Eid celebrations, usually speaking to a few prominent gatekeepers, often religious leaders or business owners.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Dating Game, the Sundance documentary by Violet Du Feng that’s received a riotous welcome on the festival circuit, is set in China where eligible men vastly outnumber women.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
10 Oct. 2025
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Reid’s score alternates between rhapsody and pandemonium, with the latter winning out in a riotous coda.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The festivities aren't over yet.—
Lex Goldstein,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
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However, if the third-year pro is a part of All-Star Saturday night festivities?—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Superstar Shohei Ohtani launched a two-run shot to cut the lead down to 11-4, but the momentum still appeared to be on the Blue Jays' side in a raucous Rogers Centre.—
Gabe Smallson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
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And that all came into play in Game 1, as the Jays thrashed the Los Angeles Dodgers, 11-4, at a raucous Rogers Centre on Friday night.—
Barry M. Bloom,
Sportico.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The team, after all, is 13-1-3 at home this season — and throughout its four-season tenure has a remarkable home record furnished by one of the most beautifully boisterous fanbases in all of MLS.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Oct. 2025
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My version is joyous chaos, filled with boisterous friends, rarely featuring a turkey, often ending with cake.—
Editors of Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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A little lowly courier work, yes, but nothing more raffish than that.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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The banal village tunes that Mahler altered into sinister mock vulgarities—did these not recall the raffish klezmer bands, the wandering musicians who played at shtetl weddings?—
David Denby,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Carnival.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carnival. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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