carnivals

noun

plural of carnival
as in festivals
a time or program of special events and entertainment in honor of something the town's annual Fourth of July carnival

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of carnivals Unlike many regional carnivals influenced by Trinidad, Antigua's event champions its own soca music and Eastern Caribbean sounds. — Baz Dreisinger, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Unique Souvenirs owner Tim Striggow bought the family business from his grandfather, Eldin Irwin, who purchased several machines from Aramark and other operators starting in the late ‘60s and traveled with them to fairs and carnivals. — Juliet Bennett Rylah, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 Families gather for parades, picnics, concerts, carnivals, baseball, and fireworks. — Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 July 2026 Prakashan, who builds animatronics for malls, parks and carnivals, got PETA’s attention in 2023 with a viral video of robotic elephants at a Dubai festival. — ABC News, 3 July 2026 Mysterious and whimsical, this collection is filled with symbols from zodiac and tarot, fortune telling, and vintage carnivals. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 June 2026 Exotic animals were not typically a feature of carnivals; circuses, yes, but not carnivals. — Literary Hub, 20 May 2026 This festival featured carnivals that included music, costumes, and mocking church rituals. — Paula Soria, AZCentral.com, 1 Apr. 2026 The Lunar New Year is celebrated across Asia and in the United States with parades, carnivals, fireworks and the remembrance of ancestors. — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for carnivals
  1. festivals
  2. celebrations
  3. festivities
Noun
  • The city’s standing as a bastion of British literature, theatre, and classical music means that festivals are also a major draw year-round, like February’s Bath BachFest and the Children’s Literature Festival in September.
    — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The period, which usually falls between July and August, is dedicated to the worship of Hindu god Lord Shiva and is marked by fasting, prayers and colorful monsoon festivals across India.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of festivals
Noun
  • Our team carried this place through COVID, packed patios, weddings, funerals, celebrations, and some really hard days.
    — Jess Fleming, Twin Cities, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Time lost through extended goal celebrations, red cards, penalties, substitutions, injuries requiring treatment and VAR checks is measured accurately by the fourth official and in the VAR room, with allowance made at the end of each half.
    — Graham Scott, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of celebrations
Noun
  • For the actual Democrat Day festivities featuring party leaders, candidates and officeholders, Welch was a notable no-show.
    — Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Leu Gardens invites visitors for an enchanting evening of fairy festivities in a whimsical celebration at Orlando’s 50-acre botanical oasis.
    — Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of festivities

Browse Nearby Words

carnivalesque
carnivals
carnivore
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Cite this Entry

“Carnivals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carnivals. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on carnivals

Nglish: Translation of carnivals for Spanish Speakers

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