carnival

[kahr-nuh-vuhl] / ˈkɑr nə vəl /

NOUN

outdoor celebration

Synonyms

STRONG

bacchanal carousal circus conviviality exposition fair feasting festival fete fiesta frolic gala heyday jamboree jollification jubilee masquerade merrymaking orgy ragbag revelry rout saturnalia spree

WEAK

Mardi Gras amusement park carny grind show side show street fair

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Similarly, if you’d like to focus the day on playing games and experiencing human-powered carnival rides, I’d recommend doing that first.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Inside the exhibit hall, there was a carnival game where contestants could see who could shoot the most water at a target.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

Most of the dead were students returning from a carnival weekend.

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

"It's not the first carnival fight on Netflix," 5 Live Boxing expert Bunce told 5 Live Breakfast.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

And just when I’m sure I’m about to die, all the neon lights start spinning like some nightmare carnival tornado.

From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone

Vocabulary lists containing carnival

February Vocabulary Words

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Mardi Gras: Fun

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Body Language: Carn ("Flesh")

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