carnival Definition
a festival or traveling amusement show, typically held in the streets and incorporating music, dance, and colorful costumes.
Using carnival: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "carnival" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The carnival in Rio de Janeiro is one of the biggest in the world.
Example
The town's annual carnival attracts thousands of visitors.
Example
The carnival atmosphere was infectious, with people dancing and singing in the streets.
carnival Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for carnival
- festival
- celebration
- fiesta
- fair
- mardi gras
Idioms Using carnival
Example
He always says that life is a carnival, so we should enjoy it while we can.
to stop engaging in wild or reckless behavior and start taking life more seriously
Example
After years of partying, he decided it was time to leave the carnival behind and focus on his career.
Example
She decided to join the carnival and travel the world as a street performer.
Phrases with carnival
a person who stands outside a carnival attraction and tries to attract customers by shouting and making noise
Example
The carnival barker was trying to entice people to play his game.
a musical suite composed by Camille Saint-Saëns that depicts various animals through different instruments
Example
The 'Carnival of Animals' is a popular piece of classical music.
Example
The antique shop had a beautiful collection of carnival glass.
Origins of carnival
from Italian 'carnevale', meaning 'to remove meat'
Summary: carnival in Brief
The term 'carnival' [ˈkɑːrnɪvəl] refers to a festival or traveling amusement show, often held in the streets, featuring music, dance, and colorful costumes. It is celebrated worldwide, with the Rio de Janeiro carnival being one of the most famous. 'Carnival' extends into phrases like 'life is a carnival,' which implies that life has its ups and downs, and 'leave the carnival behind,' which means to stop engaging in wild behavior.