(intr) to continue or persevere
we must carry on in spite of our difficulties
(tr) to manage or conduct
to carry on a business
informal to have an affair
informal (intr) to cause a fuss or commotion
Maintain, conduct, as in The villagers carried on a thriving trade , or They carried on a torrid love affair . [c. 1600]
Continue or progress, persevere, as in I'm sure you can carry on without me . [Mid-1600s]
Behave in an excited, improper, or silly manner, as in They laughed and sang and carried on rather noisily . [Early 1800s]
Flirt, engage in an illicit love affair, as in She accused her friend of carrying on with her husband . [Early 1900s]
First recorded in 1950–55; adj., noun use of verb phrase carry on
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Two years earlier, the FAA had begun to require that all carry-on luggage be X-rayed for weapons and passengers be scanned by a metal detector.
From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026
Soccer fans visiting a very large gas station for the first time… carry-on BBQ sandwiches & beaver nuggets?
From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026
“If you’re traveling within the U.S., make sure to keep your carry-on sauces to 3.4 oz or less and place any larger containers in your checked bags.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
A local handyman, Arsenio García, gingerly guarded a carry-on with a melting cold pack.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
I set my mother’s carry-on bag down on the soft beige carpet.
From "American Street" by Ibi Zoboi
Bilton said the correspondents and contributors will carry on the program’s “tradition of fearless, independent and impartial reporting” and said the new hires are “entrepreneurial journalists who understand how to reach modern audiences.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
"It's somewhere to rest, refuel and carry on."
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Learning to drive initially demands constant attention, but years of experience allow many people to carry on a conversation, listen to music, or think through a problem while still driving safely.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
"If God left us here, it is so we can offer comfort, carry on and keep fighting for those of us who remain," Delgado said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026
She rolls a blanket to carry on her back like a knapsack.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
Ryanair has done this by posting extremely low base fares and charging for everything it can—including checked bags, all but the smallest carry-ons, seat selection, and food and drinks.
From Barron's ● May 8, 2026
Spirit offered uber-low, unbundled fares, charging more for carry-ons and picking a seat in advance of boarding.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 2026
It’s probably just a matter of time until the other big players strip out carry-ons, as United has already done.
From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2025
It’s watching what people have tucked into their carry-ons: the foods that reveal where they’ve been or where they’re going.
From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2024
As the flight attendants wandered the aisles collecting all the tiny plastic bottles of alcohol, the women on the flight started pulling headscarves out of their carry-ons and covering their hair.
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
