carry-on
adjective
of a size and shape suitable for being carried onto and stowed in the passenger compartment of an airplane.
carry-on
American
[kar-ee-on, -awn]
/ ˈkær iˌɒn, -ˌɔn /
adjective
noun
-
carry-ons
plural
carry on
British
verb
-
(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
noun
adjective
carry on
Idioms
-
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]
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of carry-on
First recorded in 1950–55; adj., noun use of verb phrase carry on
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Case in point: After the team’s plane landed at Oslo Airport on Monday, the 6-foot-5 striker with flowing blond hair stepped out with a rather unusual carry-on tucked under his left arm.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
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
"I'm the biggest carry-on ever," added Baker, who later added the key wicket of Daryl Mitchell.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
“I don’t know if anyone’s still hungry, but I have like three-quarters of a box of Chips Ahoy! still sitting in my carry-on bag. Just putting that out there.”
From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli
That includes paying the balance of the school’s lease to the district and supporting local groups to carry on some services.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Given the attacking talent at his disposal, it stands to reason that Zidane would carry on in that vein.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 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
“Fine, fine, let us carry on, please. What do those who signed the petition find so offensive?”
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
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
A shallow tray between the footwells provides stowage for purses and other carry-ons.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 8, 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
He eyed the passengers moving down the aisle with mild disinterest, but only to make sure they didn’t hit his shoulder with their purses and carry-ons as they passed.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
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.
