carnal
adjective
car·nal ˈkär-nᵊl 
1
a
: relating to or given to crude bodily pleasures and appetites
gluttony and other carnal activities
b
: marked by sexuality
carnal love
2
: bodily, corporeal
seen with carnal eyes
3
a
: temporal
carnal weapons
the superiority of the spiritual and eternal over the carnal
H. O. Taylor
H. O. Taylor b
: worldly
a carnal mind
carnality
kär-ˈna-lə-tē
noun carnally
ˈkär-nə-lē
adverb 
Synonyms
- earthborn
- earthbound
- earthly
- fleshly
- material
- mundane
- sublunary
- temporal
- terrene
- terrestrial
- worldly
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 As Trey becomes a regular, the bathhouse acts as a home away from home, where friendly intimacy exists as surely as the carnal kind. Ilana Masad, Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2022 Here, the passion Pearl feels is more charnel than carnal. Peter Debruge, Variety, 3 Sep. 2022 Surrett pleaded guilty to two counts of carnal knowledge and two counts of indecent acts involving a minor in October 1994 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison at Fort Leavenworth, according to the records cited by Oregon Public Broadcasting. oregonlive, 2 Sep. 2022 There seemed to be much more to the story than the satisfaction of one man’s carnal needs. Nina Burleigh, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2021 Drake is lost inside his carnal desires and yearns for that special touch from his side-chick. Richy Rosario, Billboard, 27 June 2022 Both drugs and caviar suggest disposable income that is dog-eared for pleasure, and a bump done off the back of a hand adds a decidedly carnal element. Mackenzie Chung Fegan, Bon Appétit, 15 July 2022 Zoller stages it as a swinging ‘60s go-go dancing fever dream, accented by amusingly abstract (and non-explicit) acts of carnal coupling. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2022 The notion of surrender is at the heart of Mike Hadreas’s carnal and sensual new album, Ugly Season. Jason Kyle Howard, The Atlantic, 17 June 2022 See More
Ilana Masad, Washington Post, 10 Sep. 2022 Here, the passion Pearl feels is more charnel than carnal. Peter Debruge, Variety, 3 Sep. 2022 Surrett pleaded guilty to two counts of carnal knowledge and two counts of indecent acts involving a minor in October 1994 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison at Fort Leavenworth, according to the records cited by Oregon Public Broadcasting. oregonlive, 2 Sep. 2022 There seemed to be much more to the story than the satisfaction of one man’s carnal needs. Nina Burleigh, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2021 Drake is lost inside his carnal desires and yearns for that special touch from his side-chick. Richy Rosario, Billboard, 27 June 2022 Both drugs and caviar suggest disposable income that is dog-eared for pleasure, and a bump done off the back of a hand adds a decidedly carnal element. Mackenzie Chung Fegan, Bon Appétit, 15 July 2022 Zoller stages it as a swinging ‘60s go-go dancing fever dream, accented by amusingly abstract (and non-explicit) acts of carnal coupling. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 14 July 2022 The notion of surrender is at the heart of Mike Hadreas’s carnal and sensual new album, Ugly Season. Jason Kyle Howard, The Atlantic, 17 June 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French carnel, charnel, from Late Latin carnalis, from Latin carn-, caro flesh; akin to Greek keirein to cut — more at shear
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
carnal
adjective
1
as in temporal
having to do with life on earth especially as opposed to that in heaven the preacher warned that those who were interested only in carnal pursuits would not see the kingdom of heaven Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- temporal
- mundane
- physical
- bodily
- animal
- terrestrial
- earthly
- worldly
- fleshly
- sublunary
- corporeal
- earthbound
- terrene
- material
- corporal
- daily
- earthborn
- unspiritual
- diurnal
- anthropocentric
- anthropic
- anthropical
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- heavenly
- unearthly
- celestial
- spiritual
- unworldly
- nontemporal
- metaphysical
- religious
- supernal
- divine
- empyrean
- devotional
- sacred
- utopian
- empyreal
- extraterrestrial
- transcendental
- supernatural
- transcendent
- ethereal
- Elysian
2
as in bodily
of or relating to the human body a missionary who tends to the carnal needs of the people as well as to their spiritual concerns Synonyms & Similar Words
- bodily
- physical
- fleshly
- corporeal
- animal
- sensual
- somatic
- physiological
- corporal
- anatomical
- material
- anatomic
- sensuous
- physiologic
- hand-to-hand
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- psychological
- spiritual
- mental
- intellectual
- cerebral
- inner
- psychologic
- nonphysical
- nonmaterial
- immaterial
- psychical
- metaphysical
- psychic
- incorporeal
- insubstantial
- ethereal
- bodiless
3
as in sensual
pleasing to the physical senses carnal attractions of that gambling mecca in the desert Synonyms & Similar Words
- sensual
- sensuous
- fleshly
- voluptuous
- delicious
- bodily
- pleasant
- delightful
- lush
- luxurious
- corporeal
- luscious
- pleasing
- pleasurable
- scrumptious
- delectable
- epicurean
- dreamy
- gratifying
- agreeable
- self-indulgent
- palatable
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- painful
- harsh
- uncomfortable
- disgusting
- hideous
- icky
- foul
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of carnal are animal, fleshly, and sensual. While all these words mean "having a relation to the body," carnal may mean only this but more often connotes derogatorily an action or manifestation of a person's lower nature.
a slave to carnal desires
While the synonyms animal and carnal are close in meaning, animal stresses the physical as distinguished from the rational nature of a person.
led a mindless animal existence
Fleshly is less derogatory than carnal.
a saint who had experienced fleshly temptations
While in some cases nearly identical to carnal, sensual may apply to any gratification of a bodily desire or pleasure but commonly implies sexual appetite with absence of the spiritual or intellectual.
fleshpots providing sensual delights
- crossbonesses
- crossbow
- crossbowman
- crossbowmen
- crossbows
- crossbred
- crossbred wool
- crossbreds
- crossbreed
- crossbreeding
- crossbreeds
- crossbuck
- crosschecked
- crosschecking
- crosschecks
- crosscourt
- crosscurrent
- crosscurrents
- crosscut
- crosscut file
- crosscut saw
- crosscut shank
- crosscuts
- crosscutter
- crosscutting