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.

This year's carnival featured musical performances, bedazzled horses, huge dragons and dancing stilt walkers.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Some of his earlier memories are of dancing at family birthday parties or big public carnival events where the country’s top orchestras would play.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 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

Then we laughed about almost falling down at the carnival.

From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy

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!