carnage

noun

car·​nage ˈkär-nij How to pronounce carnage (audio)
1
: the flesh of slain animals or humans
a multitude of dogs came to feast on the carnageT. 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.
Prom Queen ends in carnage when Megan realizes some of the other prom queen nominees, Christy Renault (Greenblatt), Melissa (Rubin) and Debbie (Ablack) have vanished. Jane Lacroix, People.com, 24 May 2025 Structurally, this is a gigantic change, perhaps even revolutionary, though the driving itself is quintessentially Mario Kart: drifting elegance, power-up carnage, albeit now featuring up to 24 competitors, which means the on-road action is set to be even more frenzied. Lewis Gordon, Vulture, 23 May 2025 By the end of the season, things are going to come to a head and there’s going to be some carnage and people will die. Lynette Rice, Deadline, 4 May 2025 Early action scenes are told in strangely oblique ways, with gunfire erupting off-screen (but little carnage shown) or else via abrupt cuts, filled in later by ultra-violent flashbacks. Peter Debruge, Variety, 24 Apr. 2025 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 1 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

carnage

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

More from Merriam-Webster on carnage

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