CARNAL Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'carnal' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of carnal are animal , fleshly , and sensual . While all these words mean "having a relation to the body," carnal may mean only this but more often connotes derogatorily an action or manifestation of a person's lower nature. // a slave to carnal desires

Q: When can 'animal' be used instead of 'carnal'?

While the synonyms animal and carnal are close in meaning, animal stresses the physical as distinguished from the rational nature of a person. // led a mindless animal existence

Q: How do 'fleshly' and 'carnal' relate to one another?

Fleshly is less derogatory than carnal . // a saint who had experienced fleshly temptations

Q: When is it sensible to use 'sensual' instead of 'carnal'?

While in some cases nearly identical to carnal , sensual may apply to any gratification of a bodily desire or pleasure but commonly implies sexual appetite with absence of the spiritual or intellectual. // fleshpots providing sensual delights

carnal

adjective

ˈkär-nᵊl

Definition of carnal

as in mundane

having to do with life on earth especially as opposed to that in heaven the preacher warned that those who were interested only in carnal pursuits would not see the kingdom of heaven

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in physical

of or relating to the human body a missionary who tends to the carnal needs of the people as well as to their spiritual concerns

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sensual

pleasing to the physical senses carnal attractions of that gambling mecca in the desert

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word carnal different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of carnal are animal, fleshly, and sensual. While all these words mean "having a relation to the body," carnal may mean only this but more often connotes derogatorily an action or manifestation of a person's lower nature.

a slave to carnal desires

When can animal be used instead of carnal?

While the synonyms animal and carnal are close in meaning, animal stresses the physical as distinguished from the rational nature of a person.

led a mindless animal existence

How do fleshly and carnal relate to one another?

Fleshly is less derogatory than carnal.

a saint who had experienced fleshly temptations

When is it sensible to use sensual instead of carnal?

While in some cases nearly identical to carnal, sensual may apply to any gratification of a bodily desire or pleasure but commonly implies sexual appetite with absence of the spiritual or intellectual.

fleshpots providing sensual delights

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of carnal The former make for an easy snack (carnal or cuisine), while the latter are an even more fleeting annoyance. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 7 June 2026 Follower counts increase exponentially; their DMs are flooded with curses and propositions, both business-related and carnal. — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 21 May 2026 The girls follow his trail of tears to Divine (Erika Alexander), a charismatic preacher still in the carnal thrall of her time with their father. — Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 15 May 2026 An intense, carnal need takes over mid-bite into a Loli Farms chicken leg. — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for carnal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for carnal

Adjective

Large swaths of the film are composed of close-ups of people’s faces or hands, giving seemingly mundane exchanges and gestures — say, a moment when Evans, unimpressed with Holmes’s egg-whisking technique, confiscates the bowl — greater weight.

— Alex Barasch, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026
But even the mundane conversations were remarkable in their unremarkableness.

— Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of mundane

Adjective

Habits are usually paired with physical or emotional cues, and disrupting those cues can disrupt the habit.

— Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
There was also a physical dispute between Parillo and Amy Helm after her removal, during which police were called to LHS in Woodstock.

— Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of physical

Adjective

The high-shine garment was seemingly painted onto Megan’s frame, both sleek and sensual, much like lingerie.

— Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2026
Such is the case with black faux-leather skirts—the bold and sensual style serves as the perfect anchor for incorporating more colors into your wardrobe.

— Michel Mejía, Glamour, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of sensual

Adjective

High dynamic range, 4K finishing and temporal consistency remain significant challenges, even as Eyeline advances its own solutions.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
The team tested whether the hardware could distinguish temporal patterns using four consecutive input signals that could each be switched on or off.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of temporal

Adjective

Brian Peralta Cabrera, 18, of Queens, was charged with conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and serious bodily injury.

— Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026
The parents admit to some corporal punishment, but of a mild sort—the kind that might startle a child but which wouldn’t do bodily harm.

— Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of bodily

Adjective

That’s why the stocks reacted, because people finally came to terms with the fact that Elon is actually going to build a terrestrial network.

— Nilay Patel, The Verge, 17 Oct. 2026
Too aquatic for roads, yet too terrestrial for boats, boglands remain some of the most remote and difficult landscapes to access.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of terrestrial

Adjective

Vegetable Oils Vegetable and seed oils are some of the richest non-animal dietary sources of CoQ10.

— Verywell Health, Verywell Health, 16 July 2026
Computer models and other non-animal testing methods still aren’t the best available science, critics contend.

— Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026

Definition of animal

Browse Nearby Words

carnages

carnal

carnality

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Carnal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carnal. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of carnal

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes