1
a
: relating to or given to crude bodily pleasures and appetites
gluttony and other carnal activities
b
: marked by sexuality
carnal love
Synonyms
Examples of carnal in a Sentence
the preacher warned that those who were interested only in carnal pursuits would not see the kingdom of heaven
a missionary who tends to the carnal needs of the people as well as to their spiritual concerns
Recent Examples on the Web
Married to Stanley, a man of carnal appetites and vulgar manners, Stella has embraced the crude pleasures of realism, while her freeloading sister still clings to tattered aristocratic illusions.
—
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
That disconcerting closeness of the cosmic and carnal was par for the course for Combs, an altar boy turned entrepreneur whose career is a monument to these and other striking dualities.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2024
Unfortunately, the singer’s obsessions with Atlanta culture and carnal desire led to a momentum-killing sequence that briefly sent the concert off the rails.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2024
But only in the closing moments are there flashes of the carnal flame that should fuel this classic.
—Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 23 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for carnal 
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Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
That disconcerting closeness of the cosmic and carnal was par for the course for Combs, an altar boy turned entrepreneur whose career is a monument to these and other striking dualities.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2024
Unfortunately, the singer’s obsessions with Atlanta culture and carnal desire led to a momentum-killing sequence that briefly sent the concert off the rails.
—Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2024
But only in the closing moments are there flashes of the carnal flame that should fuel this classic.
—Karen D'souza, The Mercury News, 23 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for carnal
Dictionary Entries Near carnal
Cite this Entry
“Carnal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/carnal. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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carnal
adjective
car·nal
ˈkärn-ᵊl 
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