noun · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈmɛɹiɡə(ʊ)ˌɹaʊnd/
Canada, General-American:/ˈmɛɹiɡoʊˌɹaʊnd/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ˌmeriˈɡoˌraun/East African
CMU ARPABET:M EH1 R IY0 G OW0 R AW2 N D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
Synonym of carousel (“a pleasure ride, typically found at amusement parks and fairs and accompanied by music, consisting of a slowly revolving circular platform on which are fixed various seats, frequently shaped like horses or other animals, cars, etc., which may also move up and down”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonym of carousel (“a pleasure ride, typically found at amusement parks and fairs and accompanied by music, consisting of a slowly revolving circular platform on which are fixed various seats, frequently shaped like horses or other animals, cars, etc., which may also move up and down”).
A freight train of hopper wagons which loads and unloads its cargo while moving continuously on a circular track, often incorporating a balloon loop.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: attributive, often
Topics: rail-transport, railways, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonym of carousel (“a pleasure ride, typically found at amusement parks and fairs and accompanied by music, consisting of a slowly revolving circular platform on which are fixed various seats, frequently shaped like horses or other animals, cars, etc., which may also move up and down”).
A piece of playground equipment consisting of a circular platform that is made to revolve by pushing while users stand on it.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Russell kept the merry-go-round moving with an RBI single that advanced Henderson to third.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
An informal cooperative scheme in which members (often women) regularly contribute money to a pool, the collected money being then paid out to one of the members; this is repeated so that every member eventually receives money. The collected money may also be invested, or loaned to members.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Kenya, figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: chit fund, ROSCA, susu, tanda
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
a large, rotating machine with seats for children to ride or amusement
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
a never-ending cycle of activities and events (especially when they seem to have little purpose)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
if we lose the election the whole legislative merry-go-round will have to start over
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: cycle
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Middle English mery English merry Proto-Indo-European *ǵheh1-der. Proto-Germanic *gāną Proto-West Germanic *gān Old English gān Middle English gon English go English round English go round English merry-go-round From merry (adjective) + go round (verb).
Across languages
Translations
5 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Finnish:
ympyräradalla kiertävä suppilovaunuista koostuva juna
— freight train on a circular track
Finnish:
hullunmylly
— bustle of activity
Finnish:
karuselli
— bustle of activity
Finnish:
karuselli
— (baseball) series of singles and doubles that allows the batting team to score while still having runners on base
Finnish:
kiertävä rahasto
— (Kenya) informal cooperative scheme in which members contribute money to a pool for a payout
