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
  • Then, if Starship is fulfilling its promise, SpaceX plans to retire Falcon for good.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 10 Nov. 2026
  • In its response, the museum said that the severance did not qualify as earned wages under state law because payment was contingent on McDuffie fulfilling her contractual obligations.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of fulfilling
Verb
  • Bohdan Stashynsky, a KGB agent, has confessed to killing Stepan Bandera, a controversial far-right Ukrainian politician.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 7 Nov. 2026
  • As the community mourns a Lakewood police agent killed in the line of duty, CBS Colorado is learning more about the suspect accused of killing him and his lengthy criminal history.
    — Olivia Young, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of killing
Verb
  • Footage and audio of Prince performing onstage is interspersed throughout, underscoring the musical legacy Fisher is preparing to take on.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Her set evoked a football halftime show and homecoming celebration at historically Black colleges and universities, with a marching band, drum line, steppers and majorette-style dancers performing in front of bleachers.
    — Jaweed Kaleem, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of performing
Verb
  • With the European Union banning large companies from destroying unsold apparel, clothing accessories and footwear under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation as of July, the case for Unspun’s technology becomes more compelling.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The mayor faced voter outrage over the Palisades fire, which broke out in January 2025, destroying thousands of homes and leaving 12 people dead.
    — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of destroying
Verb
  • Dakar winner Brock Heger quickly showed us all how to do it, perfectly executing the side-by-side equivalent of a skateboard tailslide along the wall’s highest point.
    — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 2 Nov. 2026
  • That didn’t stop the Commanders from being one of the worst teams in the league at executing through the first six weeks of the season.
    — Tashan Reed, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of executing
Verb
  • Venerated as the patron saint of England and of Georgia, he is often depicted as slaying a dragon.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Widdecombe’s slaying renewed concerns over security for politicians, which has been tightened in the past decade after two lawmakers were murdered.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of slaying
Verb
  • Her father still took a liberal view toward what the female brain was capable of achieving, but society did not.
    — Jeanna Smialek, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Technology can transform what organizations are capable of achieving.
    — Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of achieving
Verb
  • Caruso's daughter Anna used to work alongside her dad, doing in-game strategy, and now works football operations for the Vikings.
    — Marielle Mohs, CBS News, 9 Nov. 2026
  • In South Carolina, the new New York Times/Siena poll shows that the Republican nominee for governor, Alan Wilson, is doing a lot better than Darline Graham is doing in the Senate race — suggesting potential ticket-splitting among some voters.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 28 Oct. 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 13 Nov. 2026.

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