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• carry-on
  carry-on

  adjective

  of a size and shape suitable for being carried onto and stowed in the passenger compartment of an airplane.
• carry on
  carry on

  verb

  (intr) to continue or persevere

carry-on

American  

[kar-ee-on, -awn] / ˈkær iˌɒn, -ˌɔn /

adjective

1. of a size and shape suitable for being carried onto and stowed in the passenger compartment of an airplane.

   carry-on luggage.

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noun

1. a piece of carry-on luggage.

carry on British  

verb

1. (intr) to continue or persevere

   we must carry on in spite of our difficulties

2. (tr) to manage or conduct

   to carry on a business

3. informal to have an affair

4. informal (intr) to cause a fuss or commotion

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noun

1. informal a fuss or commotion

adjective

1. (of luggage) to be taken inside an aircraft by hand personally by a passenger

carry on Idioms  

1. Maintain, conduct, as in The villagers carried on a thriving trade , or They carried on a torrid love affair . [c. 1600]

2. Continue or progress, persevere, as in I'm sure you can carry on without me . [Mid-1600s]

3. Behave in an excited, improper, or silly manner, as in They laughed and sang and carried on rather noisily . [Early 1800s]

4. Flirt, engage in an illicit love affair, as in She accused her friend of carrying on with her husband . [Early 1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of carry-on

First recorded in 1950–55; adj., noun use of verb phrase carry on

Example Sentences

The FAA, which said it is considering the organization’s stricter guidance, currently bars the devices from checked luggage and restricts passengers to two portable chargers in carry-on bags.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026

According to Borenstein, Talankin arrived at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York “to fly home to Europe” and had the Oscar in tow as a carry-on.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Certain airlines now impose fees for a carry-on bag.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

As he hauled his carry-on to his gate, Scott, then 79, found he had to take several breaks.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 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

Related Words

• continue