carve

verb

ˈkärv How to pronounce carve (audio)
carved; carving
Synonyms of carvenext

transitive verb

1
: to cut with care or precision
carved fretwork
2
: to make or get by or as if by cutting
—often used with out
carve out a career
3
: to cut into pieces or slices
carved the turkey

intransitive verb

1
: to cut up and serve meat
2
: to work as a sculptor or engraver
carver noun

Synonyms of carve

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Examples of carve in a Sentence

We carved an ice sculpture. Who is going to carve the turkey? He carved while I made the gravy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The challenge is that chips are carved in the miniature realm where matter itself has the irregularity of wood grain. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 Set up a reachable charging spot, have a plan for coats and bags, and carve out a quiet corner for people who want to actually talk. — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026 New York City and Chicago may be the American cities best known for their pizza, but another city — in Connecticut, of all places — has carved out its own slice of the pie. — Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 Other rubellites were carved into a profusion of leaves and rested on a sketch of their potential arrangement as a bracelet. — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for carve

Word History

Etymology

Middle English kerven, from Old English ceorfan; akin to Old High German kerban to notch, Greek graphein to scratch, write

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of carve was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing carve

Rhymes for carve

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Browse Nearby Words

carvacryl
carve
carved/etched/set/written in stone
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Cite this Entry

“Carve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carve. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

carve

verb
ˈkärv How to pronounce carve (audio)
carved; carving
1
: to cut with care or exactness
2
: to cut into pieces or slices
3
: to cut up and serve meat
carver noun
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