carry on

To continue doing what you were doing before.

• Please carry on.
• We carried on walking after a short rest.
• Can I carry on with my work now?

How to use it: carry on doing something (They carried on talking after the lesson.); carry on with something (Please carry on with your work.)

Similar words: continue, go on, keep going

Opposites: stop

Common phrases: carry on working, carry on talking, carry on normally

To keep trying despite problems, pain, or difficulty.

• We must carry on despite the setbacks.
• After losing his job, he found the strength to carry on.
• They carried on even when success seemed impossible.

How to use it: carry on despite something (She carried on despite repeated failures.)

Similar words: keep going, persevere, persist

Opposites: give up

Common phrases: carry on bravely, carry on regardless

To behave noisily or dramatically in a way that attracts unwanted attention.

• Stop carrying on like that.
• The children carried on when we told them to leave.
• He carried on as if losing his hat were a disaster.

How to use it: carry on like that (You can’t carry on like that in a restaurant.)

Similar words: make a fuss, make a scene

Opposites: calm down

Common phrases: carry on noisily, carry on terribly

To do or maintain an activity, business, or other organized work.

• They carry on trade with neighbouring countries.
• The firm carried on business from a rented office.
• Both sides carried on negotiations throughout the winter.

How to use it: carry on something (The partners carried on a small business together.)

Similar words: conduct, pursue, maintain

Opposites: discontinue

Common phrases: carry on business, carry on trade, carry on negotiations

To keep talking about something for too long, often excitedly or annoyingly.

• He carried on about the weather.
• She carried on for an hour about her holiday.
• Why do you always carry on about that mistake?

How to use it: carry on about something (He carried on about his new phone for ages.)

Similar words: go on, ramble

Common phrases: carry on endlessly, carry on excitedly

To take a bag into an aircraft’s passenger area instead of putting it in the hold.

• Can I carry on this bag?
• She carried on a small suitcase and a laptop bag.
• The airline lets passengers carry on two small items.

How to use it: carry something on (You can carry one small suitcase on.)

Opposites: check in

Common phrases: carry on luggage, carry on bags