Synonyms of carrying on

carrying on

verb

present participle of carry on

1

as in acting out

to behave badly

a toddler crying and carrying on in the store

Synonyms & Similar Words

• acting out
• disobeying
• acting up
• running riot
• raising Cain
• misconducting
• rebelling
• misbehaving
• cutting up
• kidding (around)
• horsing around
• clowning (around)
• showing off
• fooling around
• roughhousing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• obeying
• conducting
• acting
• bearing
• containing
• quitting
• moving
• complying
• handling
• conforming
• controlling
• checking
• collecting
• acquitting
• composing
• deporting
• inhibiting
• curbing
• restraining
• demeaning
• comporting
• constraining
• quieting
• repressing

2

as in persisting

to continue despite difficulties, opposition, or discouragement

she bravely carried on despite the loss of her husband

Synonyms & Similar Words

• persisting
• hanging in there
• gutting it out
• persevering
• hanging on
• keeping up
• following through (with)
• digging in
• knuckling down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• giving up
• knocking off
• giving in
• submitting
• quitting
• yielding
• bowing
• surrendering
• hanging back
• succumbing
• wavering
• hesitating
• faltering
• vacillating
• wobbling
• shilly-shallying

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

• operating
• managing
• supervising
• overseeing
• handling
• controlling
• regulating
• conducting
• presiding (over)
• running
• watching over
• governing
• keeping
• administering
• directing
• guiding
• tending
• caring (for)
• protecting
• overlooking
• superintending
• administrating
• stewarding
• watching
• leading
• steering
• safeguarding
• guarding
• piloting
• minding
• codirecting
• comanaging
• micromanaging
• stage-managing

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of carrying on

There are multiple people, all around the lounge, carrying on full-volume business conversations as if the rest of us are simply part of their office. — R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 16 July 2026

Princess Diana's sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, are carrying on her family legacy and inherited a great deal upon her tragic death in 1997. — Christopher Luu, InStyle, 5 July 2026

Back in England, the country which supposedly gave football to the world, everyone is clearly keeping calm and carrying on during this World Cup run. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 5 July 2026

Haaland’s winning goal came after another bout of yanking and pulling; the striker tried to free himself by slapping the defender’s arm away, eventually just carrying on regardless. — Jack Lang, New York Times, 5 July 2026

The brief clip showed off a new cast of characters, beginning with fuzzy television static before exploding into a montage propelled by intense music and kinetic bursts of action, carrying on the spirit of the first season through energetic animation and heavily stylised art. — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 23 June 2026

One was Buck Strickland, Hank Hill’s philandering boss, who has many of LBJ’s characteristics including carrying on conversations while on the toilet. — Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 16 June 2026

Now, Françoise is carrying on his legacy. — Michael Soncin, Vanity Fair, 9 June 2026

Its all-metal build is significant in competing with the Neo and carrying on the XPS build quality in a less expensive machine. — Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026