carve

verb

ˈkärv 

carved; carving

transitive verb

1

: to cut with care or precision

carved fretwork

2

: to make or get by or as if by cutting

—often used with out

carve out a career

3

: to cut into pieces or slices

carved the turkey

intransitive verb

1

: to cut up and serve meat

2

: to work as a sculptor or engraver

carver noun

Synonyms

• sculpt
• sculpture

Examples of carve in a Sentence

We carved an ice sculpture.

Who is going to carve the turkey?

He carved while I made the gravy.

Recent Examples on the Web

In bridging the gap between East Coast prep and West Coast casual, the brand has carved out a unique position in the fertile golf apparel landscape -- one that continues to grow as the sport itself evolves. —Erik Matuszewski, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025

Rashida has carved out a similarly impressive range for herself, appearing on shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation, Angie Tribeca, and Sunny, and starring in Sofia Coppola's 2020 film On the Rocks. —James Mercadante, EW.com, 21 Mar. 2025

Yet developers are continuously carving more resorts into this fire-prone, vulnerable landscape, raising the stakes around Lake Tahoe. —Calmatters, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2025

Marella carved a unique niche in WWE, blending comedic brilliance with surprising in-ring prowess. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English kerven, from Old English ceorfan; akin to Old High German kerban to notch, Greek graphein to scratch, write

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing carve

• carve up

Rhymes for carve

• starve

Kids Definition

carve

verb

ˈkärv 

carved; carving

1

: to cut with care or exactness

2

: to cut into pieces or slices

3

: to cut up and serve meat

carver noun