CAROLS Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

carols 1 of 2

noun

plural of carol

as in hymns

a religious song sang carols at the Christmas Eve service

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

carols

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of carol

as in chants

to produce musical sounds with the voice she caroled with glee when she heard the good news

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in praises

to proclaim the glory of landscape photographs that carol the majesty and monumentality of Yosemite Valley

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 carols

Noun

Paul drove into Wilkes-Barre from Princeton on Christmas Day after the chapel service and dropped his bags at a forlorn motor lodge on Public Square—Christmas carols dragging at slow speed on its sound system—and swung by my parents. — Literary Hub, 18 June 2026 That's4Entertainment's Christmas Con 2026 will take place at the New Jersey Expo Center in Edison, New Jersey, from December 11-13, and its halls will be decked to the gills with carols, tree lightings and sweet treats. — Breanne L. Heldman, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026 The inspiring and idiosyncratic debut from a 53-year-old priest in Greece pinballs between drone metal and techno Christmas carols, field recordings and hymns. — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 14 May 2026 Point spreads and moneylines ran constantly through my head, mingling with the omnipresent Christmas carols to create a strange backbeat to the holiday season. — Mckay Coppins, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2026 Each year, Music Hall fills with twinkling lights, the sound of nostalgic carols and the joy of thousands of audience members at Holiday Pops. — Cincinnati Enquirer, 26 Feb. 2026 During the Christmas holidays, children from the village comes to sing South Tyrolean carols in exchange for sweet treats, a local tradition that’s sort of like a South Tyrolean Halloween. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Jan. 2026 Onscreen, contestants raced to solve word puzzles, spinning the wheel of fortune and following clues about Christmas carols. — Oriana Van Praag, New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2026 Rutter is especially known for his original Christmas music as well as his choral arrangements of Christmas carols, and the program included some of that repertoire. — Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 18 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for carols

Noun

Faithful gather to sing hymns and sip Bloody Marys, and a revolving cast of chaplains, including one who once served at the University of Texas chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, lead services.

— Pam LeBlanc, Southern Living, 20 July 2026
One of six children, Tyler grew up idolizing Tina Turner and Janis Joplin and singing hymns in the Anglican church her parents attended.

— Adela Suliman, NBC news, 9 July 2026

Definition of hymns

Verb

The ballroom at the Westin Perimeter North is packed with people sporadically breaking out in Rick Jackson chants from time to time.

— Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 16 June 2026
As the crowd chants largely out of sight, heavy automatic gunfire can be heard for 15 uninterrupted seconds.

— Marin Scott, NBC news, 14 Jan. 2026

Definition of chants

Verb

Our modern Western culture praises thinness and stigmatizes those in larger bodies.

— Oona Hanson, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Director David Wain, who co-wrote the comedy with Marino, his longtime creative partner and college buddy from NYU, praises his pal’s wacky comedic skills.

— Eric Andersson, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026

Definition of praises

Noun

From Andy Grammer’s feet-thumping anthems to the traditional dance of the Irish rolling hills, this year’s Harris Center for the Arts lineup is sure to entertain.

— Tania Azhang, Sacbee.com, 4 Aug. 2026
In that atmosphere, having distinct tub-thumping anthems made perfect sense.

— George Edwards, New York Times, 31 July 2026

Definition of anthems

Verb

SpaceX sings on soaring AI costs watch now Choose CNBC as your preferred source on Google and never miss a moment from the most trusted name in business news.

— Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 6 Aug. 2026
Mike Clarke, who always sings the praises of the camaraderie that exists among the businesses in small town Old Wethersfield, said the creamery does something fun every year to coincide with the play.

— Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of sings

Verb

Ultimately, though, the film celebrates the man and his achievements.

— Jenelle Riley, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Rooted in the belief that art is most powerful when experienced collectively, Art Week NYC celebrates the conversations, communities, and creative exchange that make New York one of the world’s most vibrant art cities.

— News Desk, Artforum, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of celebrates

Noun

Because the psalms were originally accompanied by instruments, scholars’ best guess is that selah was some sort of musical marking.

— Drew Goins, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
Take The Music Lesson, a study of a young woman playing the virginal, closely watched by a gentleman, which Graham-Dixon reads as a depiction of Collegiants chastely performing and singing psalms.

— Clare Bucknell, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026

Definition of psalms

Browse Nearby Words

caroling

carols

carom

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Carols.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carols. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of carols

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on carols

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

anecdote

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes