1
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
2
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
3
as in sensual
pleasing to the physical senses
carnal attractions of that gambling mecca in the desert
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
This unapologetically fleshy, carnal, feminine update on David Cronenberg's 1988 psychosexual classic sees Rachel Weisz brilliantly pulling double-duty as identical twin gynecologists Beverly and Elliot Mantle.
—
Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
Wasserman was long presumed to be an mere philanthropic acquaintance of the vile and very well connected Epstein (who died in mysterious circumstances in a NYC jail in 2019), the massive document dump by Donald Trump‘s DOJ in late January revealed a carnal 2003 correspondence with Maxwell.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
In a similar vein, Byredo’s Animalique exudes an equally alluring vibe that’s slightly funkier and more carnal.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
The average viewer imagines all sort of carnal activities happening, titillated by what might appear onscreen once the visuals kick in.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for carnal
Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026
Wasserman was long presumed to be an mere philanthropic acquaintance of the vile and very well connected Epstein (who died in mysterious circumstances in a NYC jail in 2019), the massive document dump by Donald Trump‘s DOJ in late January revealed a carnal 2003 correspondence with Maxwell.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
In a similar vein, Byredo’s Animalique exudes an equally alluring vibe that’s slightly funkier and more carnal.
—Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026
The average viewer imagines all sort of carnal activities happening, titillated by what might appear onscreen once the visuals kick in.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for carnal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for carnal
Adjective
-
The leaders of the future may need to be AI fluent, not just AI aware, using agentic-first approaches in automating mundane tasks, and, most importantly, focusing on agile problem resolution.—
Ethan Stone,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
-
Demna has made these mundane character studies a cornerstone of his creative vision, and this Gucci show in New York was no exception.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
The affidavit states that Dunmars parked in front of Hayes’ vehicle, partially blocking her path, before a physical fight allegedly broke out involving Dunmars’ daughter and two of Hayes’ daughters.—
Angelique Brenes,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
-
And with more than 20 miles of trails on the property to explore, the natural surroundings here cannot help but enhance members’ mental and physical well-being.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Venus, planet of relationships, dances into Cancer from May 18 until June 13, which will bring a sensual, tender, and compassionate energy to our lives — and can improve connections with family or encourage us to cozy up at home.—
Kyle Thomas,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
-
Other demos are meant to be more sensual or shocking.—
Victoria M. Walker,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
In fact, infants start out being able to process multiple temporal patterns equally well, but specialize across the first year in the patterns common to their culture, losing the ability to process others.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 May 2026
-
Even when Andy starts spiraling into discussions about cosmic turtles, destiny, and temporal manipulation, his big sister anchors that playful back-and-forth in serious creative rigor.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
Ebola is highly contagious and can be contracted via bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
-
Another was arrested at his home on suspicion of felony hit-and-run causing great bodily injury or death.—
Daniel Hunt,
Sacbee.com,
19 May 2026
Adjective
-
Their research could also be applied to terrestrial problems, such as bus routes, supply chains and shipping routes, where variable weather and traffic congestion provide the dynamic properties rather than moving destinations.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
19 May 2026
-
Additionally, researchers learned that the ants combine their impressive lunar compass with terrestrial and solar cues, at dawn and dusk, to navigate consistently even as moon visibility varies during the lunar month.—
K. R. Callaway,
Scientific American,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
The charity reports a 70% increase in multi-animal incidents across England and Wales since 2021, defining such cases as those involving 10 or more animals.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Regulators are trying to push drug development into a post-animal testing era.—
Meghana Keshavan,
STAT,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
As earthly circles of hell go, modern-day Newark is in an altogether different, gentler category from post-WWII Leningrad.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 May 2026
-
Divinity above, earthly pleasures below.—
Ligaya Mishan,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Carnal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/carnal. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
