1
: an old round dance with singing
2
: a song of joy or mirth
the carol of a bird—
Lord Byron
Lord Byron3
: a popular song or ballad of religious joy
caroled or carolled; caroling or carolling
1
: to sing especially in a joyful manner
2
: to sing carols
specifically
: to go about outdoors in a group singing Christmas carols
1
: to praise in or as if in song
2
: to sing especially in a cheerful manner : warble
Synonyms
Examples of carol in a Sentence
Noun
We sang our favorite carols while we decorated the tree.
sang carols at the Christmas Eve service
Verb
Last night, we went caroling with our friends.
she caroled with glee when she heard the good news
Recent Examples on the WebSimon Perry, Peoplemag, 9 May 2024
The program includes Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus and a carol singalong with favorite holiday classics, directed by Branden Muresan.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for carol 
Noun
Their polo games and appearances at the charity’s annual carol service, which alone raised more than $630,000, contributed significantly to the funds.
—Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 9 May 2024
The program includes Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus and a carol singalong with favorite holiday classics, directed by Branden Muresan.
—Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Dec. 2023
See all Example Sentences for carol
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'carol.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near carol
Cite this Entry
“Carol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carol. Accessed 31 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
carol
1 of 2 noun
car·ol
ˈkar-əl 
: a usually religious song of joy
carol
2 of 2 verb
caroled or carolled; caroling or carolling
1
: to sing especially in a joyful manner
2
: to sing carols and especially Christmas carols
caroler
noun
or caroller
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