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

It is a weird fight, "a carnival" as Steve Bunce aptly puts it.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

The director typically makes it into a carnival ride, a whirling montage that turns smoke-choked ’70s Vegas into heaven.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

Every third-hour class has two weeks to build one of the carnival games.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina

Vocabulary lists containing carnival

February Vocabulary Words

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Mardi Gras: Fun

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Body Language: Carn ("Flesh")

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!