car·ry-on
ˈker-ē-ˌȯn 
ˈka-rē-,
-ˌän
1
British
: carrying-on
2
: a piece of luggage suitable for being carried aboard an airplane by a passenger
: carried or suitable for being carried aboard
carry-on baggage
carried on; carrying on; carries on
: to continue doing, pursuing, or operating
carry on research
carried on the business
1
: to continue especially in spite of hindrance or discouragement
chose to carry on despite the weather
2
: to behave or speak in a foolish, excited, or improper manner
shocked at how he carries on
Synonyms
Examples of carry-on in a Sentence
Noun
the airline allows two carry-ons per person
Verb
a toddler crying and carrying on in the store
she bravely carried on despite the loss of her husband
Recent Examples on the Web
Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2024
Then this summer, national media outlet Politico reported the House ethics committee began an inquiry into Spartz’s alleged mistreatment of her congressional staff and she was charged with a weapons violation after TSA staff found an unloaded gun in her carry-on, charges that were later dropped.
—Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 28 Oct. 2024
Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2023
On Friday morning at Norfolk International Airport in Virginia, a feline was discovered inside a passenger’s carry-on bag during a security screening.
—Forrest Brown, CNN, 3 Mar. 2023
Frey Lindsay, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
He’s also found comfort in carrying on Nate’s legacy.
—Brian Brant, People.com, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for carry-on 
Noun
At the top of that list is a reliable pair of headphones, and the Soundcore Anker Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise-canceling Headphones are the perfect addition to your carry-on at $50.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 29 Oct. 2024
Then this summer, national media outlet Politico reported the House ethics committee began an inquiry into Spartz’s alleged mistreatment of her congressional staff and she was charged with a weapons violation after TSA staff found an unloaded gun in her carry-on, charges that were later dropped.
—Brittany Carloni, The Indianapolis Star, 28 Oct. 2024
Adjective
The compact case is smaller than a credit card, so it can easily be slid into your carry-on, personal item, or even your pocket without adding bulk.
—Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Mar. 2023
On Friday morning at Norfolk International Airport in Virginia, a feline was discovered inside a passenger’s carry-on bag during a security screening.
—Forrest Brown, CNN, 3 Mar. 2023
Verb
Both Badenoch and her main rival for the leadership Robert Jenrick are carrying on long-standing pledges to bring overall migration numbers down.
—Frey Lindsay, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024
He’s also found comfort in carrying on Nate’s legacy.
—Brian Brant, People.com, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for carry-on
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'carry-on.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Carry-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carry-on. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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