Carry: meaning, definitions and examples

Used in everyday situations when you need to move something by hand or on your back.

• She can carry the groceries by herself
• The child likes to carry his stuffed toy around

Commonly used in formal or technical contexts to describe the act of moving objects, people, or animals over longer distances using vehicles or other means.

• The goods were transported overseas
• They require specialized vehicles to transport the animals

Best used when talking about transporting people, goods, or information from one place to another, often involving a level of sophistication or formality.

• The message was conveyed through a series of beacons
• This vehicle is designed to convey passengers safely

Used when referring to carrying or pulling something with effort, often heavy or in large quantities. Usually has a connotation of hard work.

• They had to haul the equipment up the hill
• The truck hauled a large shipment of timber

Use when referring to physically moving something from one place to another.

• Can you carry this box for me?
• She carried her child on her back.

Use when referring to holding something up, providing assistance, or showing approval.

• The pillars support the roof.
• Her family supports her decision.

Use in more formal or literary contexts to mean enduring something difficult or carrying responsibility.

• He could no longer bear the pain.
• She bears the weight of her family’s expectations.

Use when describing maintaining something over a period, often in a way that ensures continuous functioning or survival.

• They need more resources to sustain their operations.
• The medicine helped sustain his health.