1
as in acting out
to behave badly
a toddler crying and carrying on in the store
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in persisting
to continue despite difficulties, opposition, or discouragement
she bravely carried on despite the loss of her husband
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in operating
to look after and make decisions about
carries on a business and still manages to run the household
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of carrying on
The message was met with a torrent of enthusiasm for the Indigo Girls carrying on.
—
Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Apr. 2026
The ground beneath your feet may be carrying on a kind of conversation.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
Marcos Acosta might seem like an unlikely character to be carrying on the two-century-long tradition of Western American art in Colorado.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
For now, retailers who sell kratom products are simply carrying on until they’re investigated by county health inspectors.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
The remainder of the trailer flicks at these while carrying on with her suggestion that Erika is up to no good.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 25 Feb. 2026
What’s it like seeing the new class of artists from your home state carrying on the legacy?
—Preezy Brown, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2026
He was caught using a crude slur for Jews, and carrying on an extramarital affair that produced an out-of-wedlock child.
—Mark Whitaker, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026
Each year, the world's top tennis players descend on the US for the Sunshine Double—BNP in California followed by the Miami Open—those who were cut quickly from the former often stop in for some rallies in Arizona before carrying on to Florida.
—David Shaftel, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Apr. 2026
The ground beneath your feet may be carrying on a kind of conversation.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026
Marcos Acosta might seem like an unlikely character to be carrying on the two-century-long tradition of Western American art in Colorado.
—Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
For now, retailers who sell kratom products are simply carrying on until they’re investigated by county health inspectors.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2026
The remainder of the trailer flicks at these while carrying on with her suggestion that Erika is up to no good.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 25 Feb. 2026
What’s it like seeing the new class of artists from your home state carrying on the legacy?
—Preezy Brown, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2026
He was caught using a crude slur for Jews, and carrying on an extramarital affair that produced an out-of-wedlock child.
—Mark Whitaker, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026
Each year, the world's top tennis players descend on the US for the Sunshine Double—BNP in California followed by the Miami Open—those who were cut quickly from the former often stop in for some rallies in Arizona before carrying on to Florida.
—David Shaftel, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for carrying on
Verb
-
This reality means that the environmental review angle can be an effective veto over development by NIMBY groups and others acting out of ideological rather than environmentally-conscious concerns.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
If previous records massaged her hedonism into silky, professional-grade pop, the sound on WOR$T GIRL is all sinew and scrap metal, a leaner and meaner vehicle for acting out.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Pollen exposure is exacerbated by persisting air pollution—despite long-term declines in many major pollutants.—
Matt Fuchs,
Scientific American,
15 Apr. 2026
-
In her email to Schreier, the composer describes the harp as a steady rhythmic undercurrent—persisting beneath the shifting music around it.—
Carolina del Busto,
Miami Herald,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Ann-Marie Guglieri, Yale's executive deputy director/chief operating officer of athletics, and Mary Berdo, deputy director of athletics, the second- and third-ranked positions in the department under Chun, purchased a house together in Milford, Connecticut, in June 2018, the deed shows.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
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High conversion rate With roughly 15,000 facilities operating nationwide, wastewater treatment represents a massive and constant drain on the American power grid.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office charged Nikolas Hart, 25, with six counts, including felony animal cruelty and misdemeanors related to allegations of domestic violence, witness tampering and disobeying a court order.—
Matthew Rodriguez,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
He was arraigned Monday and pleaded not guilty to one felony count of animal cruelty, one misdemeanor charge each of injury to a spouse or cohabitant and attempting to dissuade a victim or witness, and three counts of disobeying a court order to not contact the victim.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Despite Magic guard Desmond Bane, clearly under the weather, struggling from beyond the arc but still managing to contribute 17 points.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
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Vellimalar, a social worker and managing trustee of the company, works with as many as 500 women farmers in the region, explaining government policies, assisting them with loans, and providing farming assistance.—
Kamala Thiagarajan,
NPR,
19 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The capsule’s toilet is already acting up.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The black flies are not the only troublesome creature acting up during the unseasonably warm weather.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The lawsuit argues that Magic City's operators, APS Valet and its leadership, and other affiliated entities were negligent in hiring, training and supervising security personnel, and in allowing armed security to operate in areas accessible to the public without proper safeguards.—
Christopher Harris,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
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The Rose Bud native will serve a one-year term representing student interests while assisting the council in supervising chapter affairs and aligning local initiatives with national American Society for Public Administration policies.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That included a new pair of coordinators — Chris Marve, the defensive boss, and Brennan Marion, who’s overseeing the offense.—
Pat Graham,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
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Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, a powerful figure within Iran’s political system, is heading the team and is overseeing the overall direction of the negotiations.—
Dalia Abdelwahab,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Carrying on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carrying%20on. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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