What does "cary" mean?
Obsolete spelling of carry.
Cary
name, verb
name, verb ·2 syllables ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Obsolete spelling of carry.
- Grammar: cary is listed as name, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: city, family name, first name, forename.
- Useful contrasts: countryside, family name, forename.
- Usage evidence: Central Park also plays host to tens of thousands of runners during the final 5.1 kilometers of the world-famous 42-kilometer New York Marathon, as well as to summer performances of Shakespeare in the Park, the Metropolitan Opera and New York Philharmonic. More than 170 movies have been filmed inside the park, including the 1957 American classic, An Affair to Remember starring Cary Grant, and the more contemporary comedic love story, When Harry Met Sally starring Hollywood actors Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.
How to use "cary"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cary" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cary" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "cary" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "cary" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cary" is acting as name, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "city" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "cary", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 Obsolete spelling of carry. alt-of, obsolete
"That firſt, and higheſt Sphere, / That mooues, and is not moou’d againe / Of any other heauen, that mooues one whit: / The which with his Careare, / And ſwifteſt courſe doth turne away / The loweſt heauens, and caries after it: / An order doth admit, / And doth maintaine, not erring in the leſt: / For it doth cary them with ſpeede, / And with more haſte (indeede) / The neareſt heauen to it, from Eaſt to Weſt: / But rule thou doſt diſdaine, / And onely without order doſt remaine."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname, a less common spelling of Carey.
- 2 A male given name transferred from the surnames.
""You'll laugh when I tell you my name. All I can say is, nobody consulted me." "Why, what's your name?" Laughing now as he stepped past her into the hall. "Cary," he told her. "After the actor. Only I've never managed to be quite so suave.""
- 3 A diminutive of the female given name Caroline.
""My sister gave it me,—my only sister, Cary. Would that your aunt Caroline had lived to see her niece!""
- 4 A number of places in the United States:; A village in Algonquin Township, McHenry County and Cuba Township, Lake County, Illinois.
- 5 A number of places in the United States:; An unincorporated community in Monroe Township, Putnam County, Indiana.
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 A number of places in the United States:; A ghost town in Harrison Township, Miami County, Indiana.
- 7 A number of places in the United States:; An unorganised township in Aroostook County, Maine.
- 8 A number of places in the United States:; A town in Sharkey County, Mississippi.
- 9 A number of places in the United States:; A town in Wake County, Chatham County and Durham County, North Carolina.
- 10 A number of places in the United States:; A town in Wood County, Wisconsin.
- 11 A river in Somerset, England, which flows into the River Parrett.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Central Park also plays host to tens of thousands of runners during the final 5.1 kilometers of the world-famous 42-kilometer New York Marathon, as well as to summer performances of Shakespeare in the Park, the Metropolitan Opera and New York Philharmonic. More than 170 movies have been filmed inside the park, including the 1957 American classic, An Affair to Remember starring Cary Grant, and the more contemporary comedic love story, When Harry Met Sally starring Hollywood actors Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cary"?
Common synonyms include: city, family name, first name, forename, last name, municipality.
How do you use "cary" in a sentence?
Central Park also plays host to tens of thousands of runners during the final 5.1 kilometers of the world-famous 42-kilometer New York Marathon, as well as to summer performances of Shakespeare in the Park, the Metropolitan Opera and New York Philharmonic. More than 170 movies have been filmed inside the park, including the 1957 American classic, An Affair to Remember starring Cary Grant, and the more contemporary comedic love story, When Harry Met Sally starring Hollywood actors Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.