carnivalesque

adjective

car·​ni·​val·​esque ˌkär-nə-və-ˈlesk How to pronounce carnivalesque (audio)
Synonyms of carnivalesquenext
1
: suggestive of a carnival
a carnivalesque celebration
2
: marked by an often mocking or satirical challenge to authority and the traditional social hierarchy
a carnivalesque protest

Examples of carnivalesque in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Overall, there is a driving energy to the album as well as a haunted carnivalesque atmosphere. — Vogue, 14 Aug. 2026 Fundamentally, the protest in Delhi amounted to a carnivalesque bonfire of Brand Modi. — Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026 In Trinidad, which has a sizable population of Indian-origin immigrants, there is a local carnivalesque form of the holiday called Hosay. — Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 May 2026 The atmosphere, for a while, was carnivalesque. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 6 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for carnivalesque

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of carnivalesque was in 1791

Rhymes for carnivalesque

See All Rhymes for carnivalesque

Browse Nearby Words

carnival
carnivalesque
carnival glass
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Carnivalesque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnivalesque. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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