carnage

noun

car·​nage ˈkär-nij How to pronounce carnage (audio)
Synonyms of carnage
1
: the flesh of slain animals or humans
… a multitude of dogs came to feast on the carnage.T. B. Macaulay
2
: great and usually bloody slaughter or injury (as in battle)
the carnage of war

Examples of carnage in a Sentence

Reporters described the highway accident as a scene of carnage. the appalling carnage in that war-torn country requires that the outside world intervene
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.
Many of its founding members had seen the horrors of World War I up close (Breton and several others had served in the French army) and blamed their fathers’ generation for the carnage. Susan Rubin Suleiman, The New York Review of Books, 4 July 2026 These weapons of war are designed to inflict the maximum amount of carnage and destruction and have no place in our communities. Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 30 June 2026 Especially given that worth is a moving target that will only shoot up after what’s sure to be some bad-contract carnage on Wednesday. James Mirtle, New York Times, 30 June 2026 Those rivalries, bravado and score-settling led to the carnage, Ng argued Monday. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for carnage

Word History

Etymology

French, from Medieval Latin carnaticum tribute consisting of animals or meat, from Latin carn-, caro — see carnal

First Known Use

1614, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of carnage was in 1614

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Carnage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnage. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

carnage

noun
car·​nage ˈkär-nij How to pronounce carnage (audio)
: great destruction of life (as in battle) : slaughter

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