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Synonyms

carving

American  
[kahr-ving] / ˈkɑr vɪŋ /

noun

  1. the act of fashioning or producing by cutting into or shaping solid material, as wood.

  2. a carved design or figure.

carving British  
/ ˈkɑːvɪŋ /

noun

  1. a figure or design produced by carving stone, wood, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of carving

See carve, -ing 1

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.

Some of her younger siblings went with her, carving out a new family dynamic in the process.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

There was an open bar, a roast beef carving station and trays of appetizers passed around a restaurant located on a Dallas Cowboys themed golf course.

From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026

By the time you're heading for your kip on Saturday night, a drastic influx of people might be inclined to give the green light to carving Hearts' name on the Scottish Premiership trophy.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

The firm splits investment duties across multiple managers in each fund, carving out a slice for each manager to invest in their highest-conviction ideas.

From Barron's • Feb. 26, 2026

For a long time I thought I could live and work in Haiti, carving out a life with you, but now I understand that I can’t.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

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.