carnivalesque

adjective

car·​ni·​val·​esque ˌkär-nə-və-ˈlesk How to pronounce carnivalesque (audio)
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
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The film’s centerpiece is a chaotic, carnivalesque parade of surrealistic characters marching through Tokyo. Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2024 Nicolay understands the industry’s highs and lows, having been a member of the Hold Steady, a rock band known for its elaborate storytelling, and of the carnivalesque punk band the World/Inferno Friendship Society. Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 In Rocky Horror, Brad and Janet are our straight couple and Frank-N-Furter is the Freak-in-Chief overseeing a house full of carnivalesque characters. Fran Tirado, Them, 15 Oct. 2024 In one instance, the permeation of real and carnivalesque, true and false, amateur and professional in Avignon reduced me to rubble. Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 25 July 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near carnivalesque

Cite this Entry

“Carnivalesque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnivalesque. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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