carrying off

verb

present participle of carry off
1
as in fulfilling
to carry through (as a process) to completion the con artist would never have been able to carry off his schemes if it were not for the greed of his eager victims

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in killing
to deprive of life pray that the pestilence does not carry off any more souls than it already has

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 carrying off Zeus acting for his own pleasure underlies the evolutionary tales of small groups raiding foreign shores, carrying off women. — Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026 Before the night was out, Germans began chipping away at the barrier, carrying off chunks of one of the symbols of the diminishing Iron Curtain. — Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 9 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for carrying off
  1. fulfilling
  2. killing
  3. performing
  4. destroying
  5. executing
  6. slaying
  7. achieving
  8. doing in
Verb
  • Fast-forward three years and Suzuki is on the verge of fulfilling that ambition at Villa, after starring for his country at this summer’s World Cup.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
  • By extension, responding from this awareness may even help survivors understand their own reactions and experiences, which may ultimately aid their healing and ability to lead fulfilling lives.
    — Michele Patterson Ford, The Conversation, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of fulfilling
Verb
  • Ukraine launched hundreds of drones across Russia Sunday, killing at least six people in one of Kyiv’s largest aerial attacks of the war.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Thompson’s killing outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel ignited a multistate manhunt that ended five days later, when police in Altoona, Pennsylvania, arrested Mangione in a McDonald’s.
    — Kara Scannell, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of killing
Verb
  • Music is also a big component, with 10 bands on two stages performing each day.
    — Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The Postal Service expects its employees to conduct themselves professionally and appropriately while performing their duties, according to the statement.
    — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of performing
Verb
  • The show was filmed across Northern Ireland, and the weather proved to be brutal, with the rain constantly destroying sets that had to be rebuilt.
    — Matt Minton, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The Ukrainian defenders repelled the attack and posted video footage of their kamikaze drone strikes destroying at least seven T-72B3A tanks, including some that carried the Arena-M system, according to Euromaidan Press.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of destroying
Verb
  • America’s power grid is executing a quiet, high-tech transformation.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The Bills — sporting their new-look, attack-style 3-4 defense — attempted to stay as vanilla as possible while executing their core defensive philosophies.
    — Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of executing
Verb
  • The Manson murders spawned at least one copycat slaying in February 1970, The New York Times reported.
    — Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Symbolism Historically, dragon-slaying stories portrayed the treasure hoard as the ultimate test of a hero’s character.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026
Definition of slaying
Verb
  • In this week’s issue of PEOPLE, select images from Intimate Audrey offer a closer look at the star’s life outside the spotlight, from her childhood to tender moments with her own family after achieving superstardom.
    — Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
  • So achieving old-fashioned summertime bliss is, and perhaps always has been, mostly a matter of privilege.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of achieving
Verb
  • Great leaders learn to recognize what a person may be capable of doing in the future.
    — Hao Lam, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • This is so different from what everybody else is doing in protein.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of doing in

Browse Nearby Words

carrying charges
carrying off
carrying on
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Cite this Entry

“Carrying off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carrying%20off. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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