car·ni·val
ˈkär-nə-vəl 
1
: a season or festival of merrymaking before Lent
2
a
: an instance of merrymaking, feasting, or masquerading
b
: an instance of riotous excess
a carnival of violence
3
a
: a traveling enterprise offering amusements
b
: an organized program of entertainment or exhibition : festival
a winter carnival
: suggestive of or suited to a carnival
a carnival atmosphere
carnival colors
Synonyms
Examples of carnival in a Sentence
Noun
the school's annual winter carnival
That part of town is a carnival on Friday and Saturday nights.
There is a carnival atmosphere in the office.
The garden became a carnival of color.
Recent Examples on the Web
Esther Zuckerman, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2025
Related Stories Movies 'Any Given Sunday': THR's 1999 Review
For first-time viewers, the carnival of characters which gives the series its richness for addicts such as this viewer, may seem initially confusing.
—Gail Williams, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2023
The Square has spooky carnival-style games.
—Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022
See all Example Sentences for carnival 
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Noun
Read: Bob Dylan’s carnival act For anyone who was questioning Chalamet’s commitment to playing Dylan—including potential Oscar voters—the night was proof that the actor’s engagement with the musician went beyond the pure confines of the cinematic role.
—Esther Zuckerman, The Atlantic, 26 Jan. 2025
Related Stories Movies 'Any Given Sunday': THR's 1999 Review
For first-time viewers, the carnival of characters which gives the series its richness for addicts such as this viewer, may seem initially confusing.
—Gail Williams, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
Customers at Starbucks will be introduced to a new interface with a carnival-style wheel.
—Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 30 Mar. 2023
The Square has spooky carnival-style games.
—Annie Alleman, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2022
See all Example Sentences for carnival
Dictionary Entries Near carnival
Cite this Entry
“Carnival.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnival. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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