carry
carry
Pronunciation
/ˈkæɹi/.
First Syllable: /kæ/
/k/: Voiceless velar stop
/æ/: Near-open front unrounded vowel
Second Syllable: /ɹi/
/ɹ/: Alveolar approximant (or postalveolar approximant, depending on dialect)
/i/: Close front unrounded vowel
Word Form Variations
Verb Forms:
Base Form: carry (e.g., I carry the bag)
Third Person Singular Present: carries (e.g., She carries the bag)
Present Participle: carrying (e.g., He is carrying the bag)
Past Simple: carried (e.g., They carried the bag yesterday)
Past Participle: carried (e.g., The bag was carried by him)
Noun Forms:
Singular: carry (e.g., We did a carry of equipment.)
Plural: carries (e.g., The team made several carries during the game.)
Adjective Form:
carrying (e.g., a carrying case, the carrying capacity)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
To physically hold and move something or someone from one place to another.
Synonyms: transport, convey, move, lug, haul, bring, take, bear
Antonyms: drop, discard, release, leave, abandon
To be able to support the weight or burden of something; to sustain.
Synonyms: support, bear, sustain, hold, uphold, shoulder
Antonyms: collapse under, buckle, fail, give way
To have or contain something as a characteristic, consequence, or attribute.
Synonyms: possess, contain, embody, exhibit, involve, entail, include
Antonyms: lack, omit, exclude, be devoid of
To transmit or spread something, such as a disease, sound, or message.
Synonyms: transmit, propagate, disseminate, spread, communicate, relay, broadcast
Antonyms: suppress, contain, stifle, withhold
To win a vote or argument; to succeed in passing or approving something.
Synonyms: win, secure, achieve, pass, approve, gain, clinch
Antonyms: lose, fail, reject, defeat, veto
In sports, to advance a ball or puck by running or skating while maintaining possession.
Synonyms: dribble, run with, advance, push
Antonyms: pass, throw, kick, lose possession
To maintain a certain posture, demeanor, or attitude. (Often used reflexively, e.g., "carry oneself")
Synonyms: conduct, comport, bear, behave, deport
Antonyms: slouch, stoop, falter
Noun
The act or process of transporting something, especially by hand or on one's person.
Synonyms: transport, conveyance, haulage, portage, trek
Antonyms: delivery, drop-off, disposal (in the sense of getting rid of)
The range or distance over which something, like a sound or projectile, can travel or be effective.
Synonyms: range, reach, scope, throw, extent
Antonyms: limitation, restriction, short-fall
In golf, the distance a ball travels through the air before hitting the ground.
Synonyms: flight, airtime, loft
Antonyms: roll, bounce
The difference between the interest earned on an asset and the cost of funding it; a financial gain from holding an asset.
Synonyms: yield, return, profit, gain
Antonyms: cost, loss, expense
Adjective
(As "carrying") Capable of holding or transporting a specified amount or type of thing; designed for carrying.
Synonyms: portable, transportable, containing, holding, designed for carrying
Antonyms: unsuited, incapable, stationary, immovable
Examples of Use
Books:
"Frodo Baggins had been deeply impressed by Gandalf's words, and he knew that the Ring he now possessed would carry a heavy burden of responsibility." (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring) - Here, "carry" is used as a verb meaning to bear or sustain a burden.
"The old man would often carry a small, leather-bound notebook with him, jotting down observations." (Fictional example, consistent with narrative style) - "Carry" as a verb meaning to physically hold and move.
Newspapers:
"The government has promised to carry out a full investigation into the recent scandal, ensuring transparency and accountability." (The Daily Nation, Kenya, June 28, 2025) - "Carry out" as a phrasal verb meaning to perform or execute.
"Analysts debate whether the recent market rally can carry its momentum into the next quarter." (The Wall Street Journal, June 27, 2025) - "Carry" as a verb meaning to sustain or maintain.
Online Publications:
"New research suggests that certain genes can carry a predisposition to specific chronic illnesses." (ScienceDaily.com, June 25, 2025) - "Carry" as a verb meaning to contain or possess.
"The online retailer announced its decision to carry a wider range of sustainable products to meet growing consumer demand." (EcoWatch.org, June 29, 2025) - "Carry" as a verb meaning to stock or offer for sale.
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film/TV: "You cannot simply carry the One Ring into Mordor; its power is too great." (Character dialogue from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) - "Carry" as a verb for physical transport.
Video Games: "Your inventory can only carry a limited number of items. Manage your loadout wisely." (On-screen text/tutorial in a fantasy RPG game) - "Carry" as a verb meaning to be able to hold or contain.
Music (Lyrics): "And I will carry you through the darkest night, until the morning light." (Excerpt from a folk song lyric) - "Carry" as a verb meaning to support or help someone through a difficult time.
Podcasts: "Our next guest will carry us through a fascinating discussion on the history of ancient civilizations." (Podcast host introduction) - "Carry" as a verb meaning to lead or guide.
Social Media (X/Twitter): "The crowd's energy was incredible; it really helped carry the team to victory!" (@SportsFanatic, June 30, 2025) - "Carry" as a verb meaning to support or propel to success.
General Public Discourse:
"Could you help me carry these groceries up the stairs?" (Everyday conversation) - "Carry" as a verb for physical transport.
"His speech didn't carry well in the large auditorium; it was hard to hear him at the back." (Comment after a public event) - "Carry" as a verb meaning to transmit or be audible over a distance.
"She has to carry a lot of responsibility in her new role." (Conversation about someone's job) - "Carry" as a verb meaning to bear a burden or responsibility.
"The new policy will carry significant implications for small businesses." (Discussion in a community meeting) - "Carry" as a verb meaning to involve or entail.
"That athlete has an impressive carry on his golf shots." (Sports commentary/discussion, using "carry" as a noun for the flight distance of a ball)
10 Famous Quotes Using Carry
"I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)." (E.E. Cummings, "i carry your heart with me")
"The heaviest burden you carry is a bad mood." (Attributed to Satchel Paige)
"Always carry a flagon of whiskey in case of snakebite, and furthermore, always carry a small snake." (W.C. Fields)
"You must carry your own weight." (Common idiom/proverb)
"A good conscience is a continual Christmas." (Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to his parents. While not directly using "carry," it conveys the idea of an internal state one "carries.")
"We carry inside us the wonders we seek outside us." (Rumi)
"Don't carry a grudge. While you're carrying a grudge, the other guy is out dancing." (Buddy Hackett)
"Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever carry on our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline." (Martin Luther King Jr., "I Have a Dream" speech)
"The best way to carry out a project is to start it." (Common motivational saying)
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." (Laozi, Tao Te Ching. This is a metaphorical quote where "single step" implies the act of beginning to "carry" oneself forward.)
Etymology
The word "carry" has a pretty ancient history, tracing its roots back to the idea of moving things with a wagon or cart.
The first known uses of "carry" in English come from the Middle English period, around the 14th century (specifically, OED traces it to 1348). At this time, it was used as a verb with the core meaning of "to bear or convey, take along or transport." Imagine someone physically picking something up and moving it to another place, perhaps using a vehicle like a cart.
This meaning comes to English from Anglo-Norman French (a dialect of Old French spoken in England after the Norman Conquest), specifically the word carier or charier. This French word, in turn, came from a Latin word, carricare, which literally meant "to load a wagon."
And where did carricare come from? It's derived from the Latin word carrus, which originally referred to a "four-wheeled baggage wagon" or a "two-wheeled Celtic war chariot." Ultimately, this word itself has Gaulish (Celtic) origins, showing how the idea of a vehicle for transport was fundamental to the word's very beginning.
So, in simple terms, "carry" started out meaning "to transport by vehicle" and then broadened to include physically holding and moving something with your own body. Over centuries, it developed all the other meanings we use today, like carrying a disease, carrying a tune, or carrying a motion in a vote, but the core idea of moving or conveying something remains.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Carry
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "carry":
Carry on: To continue doing something; to behave in a foolish or excited way.
Carry out: To perform or execute a task, plan, or order.
Carry through: To complete something successfully, especially in spite of difficulties; to sustain (e.g., "her determination carried her through").
Carry away: To become overly enthusiastic or emotional about something. (Often passive: "get carried away")
Carry weight: To have influence, importance, or authority.
Carry the day: To win a contest, argument, or election; to be victorious.
Carry a tune: To be able to sing a melody accurately.
Carry a torch for someone: To have strong, unrequited romantic feelings for someone.
Carry water for someone: To support someone, often unquestioningly or uncritically, especially in a subservient way.
Carry a burden: To bear a heavy responsibility or difficult emotional load.
Carry the can: To take responsibility or blame for something, especially when others are also involved or more to blame.
Carry over: To transfer from one situation or period to another; to postpone.
Carry yourself: To present oneself in a particular manner, referring to posture or demeanor.
Carry the ball: To take responsibility for a task or project and ensure its progress. (Figurative, from sports)
Carry the fight to someone/something: To aggressively confront an opponent or problem.
Carry a secret to the grave: To keep a secret absolutely, never revealing it.
To be in full swing (similar effect to "carry momentum"): To be at a peak level of activity or operation.
To bear fruit: To produce positive results.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of carry from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
