carve
Americanverb (used with object)
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carves,
present (3rd person singular)
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carved,
past participle, past
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carving
present participle
-
to cut (a solid material) so as to form something.
to carve a piece of pine.
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to form from a solid material by cutting.
to carve a statue out of stone.
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to cut into slices or pieces, as a roast of meat.
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to decorate with designs or figures cut on the surface.
The top of the box was beautifully carved with figures of lions and unicorns.
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to cut (a design, figures, etc.) on a surface.
Figures of lions and unicorns were carved on the top of the box.
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to make or create for oneself (often followed byout ).
He carved out a career in business.
verb (used without object)
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carves,
present (3rd person singular)
-
carved,
past participle, past
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carving
present participle
-
to carve figures, designs, etc.
-
to cut meat.
verb
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(tr) to cut or chip in order to form something
to carve wood
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to decorate or form (something) by cutting or chipping
to carve statues
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to slice (meat) into pieces
to carve a turkey
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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carvernoun
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recarveverb
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undercarveverb (used with object)
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semicarvedadjective
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uncarvedadjective
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well-carvedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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carvesimple
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carvessimple
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have carvedperfect
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has carvedperfect
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am carvingprogressive
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are carvingprogressive
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is carvingprogressive
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have been carvingperfect progressive
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has been carvingperfect progressive
Past
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carvedsimple
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had carvedperfect
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was carvingprogressive
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were carvingprogressive
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had been carvingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of carve
before 1000; Middle English kerven, Old English ceorfan to cut; cognate with Middle Low German kerven, German kerben, Greek gráphein to mark, write; see graph
Explanation
When you cut a design into a piece of wood or marble, you carve it. Headstone engravers carve people's names and the dates of their births and deaths into gravestones. You might carve your initials into the tree in your backyard, or carve a walking stick out of a large branch. Some artists work by carving shapes from clay or granite, and a chef learns to carve, or precisely cut up, large cuts of meat and poultry. The Old English root word is ceorfan, "to cut, slay, carve, or engrave."
Vocabulary lists containing carve
On a Pedestal: Marble-ous Words for Sculpture
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"The Secret Water"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Indian Summer Sun" and "Almost Evenly Divided"
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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:
The new prime minister, meanwhile, wants to carve out clear routes into technical jobs that can rival the well-established path of A-levels and a university degree.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
The CPI and PPI might not carve a Fed rate hike in stone, but they could be the biggest building blocks.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
As long as you keep in touch with your family and friends, you can carve out a small town anywhere.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
"Perhaps it is similar to the time when the lead human at a formal meal would carve up the roast," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
“But why have me carve these? They are not stones for a monument. This is very common stone, to be placed someplace humble—like a country road or a wall.”
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
A real plan carves out a protected reserve for that upfront, so the late-life risk is handled and the earlier spending is guilt-free.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 16, 2026
His approach to Greenland isn’t mine but when he questions Danish sovereignty he carves into the real issue.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026
Rather than walk in the footsteps of its predecessors, Lux carves its own, unique path - harnessing Rosalía's classical training at the prestigious Catalonia College of Music.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2025
But given that virtually every hospital deals with unnamed patients, California carves out an exception for unidentified people who can’t make their own healthcare decisions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2025
Instead, Marco carves a series of symbols into the frost on the window of his flat that faces out to the street, using the columns of the museum beyond as a guide.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Its front has the look of a male torso and bears a peg box topped off with an elegantly carved male face.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Instead, land-based bacteria consumed parts of the bones, while plant roots carved long grooves across their surfaces.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
The monastery includes a prayer chamber carved into the mountainside, where the worshippers had gathered for the special prayer service.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Thatcher and Melton share the same carved cheekbones and pillow lips.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
When I dug into the straw inside, I found an envelope set on top of a carved incense stand.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
When Antonelli rejoined, he started carving chunks out of Leclerc's lead until lap 41, when the Mercedes driver reported a problem with his car.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
For Flynn, it’s like carving away at what is already there to create something fun and cohesive, like a sculpture.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
He apprenticed in Paris with Constantin Brancusi—who had briefly assisted Auguste Rodin—absorbing a sculptural vocabulary grounded in direct carving and essential form.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
And he took issue with the court carving out an exception allowing it to interfere with the removal of public officers.
From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026
Amazingly, the hippie, whose name was Leo, was quite angry that I didn’t spend more time carving mandolin struts or warping boards or whatever it was I was supposed to be doing up there.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
