Meaning & use

carnal

adjective·Advanced

Relating to physical or sexual desires and pleasures rather than the mind or spirit.

See it in a sentence

The sermon warned against pursuing carnal pleasures at the expense of spiritual growth.

The novel explores the tension between carnal desire and moral duty.

A note on using this word

Carnal is formal and often has religious or literary overtones, traditionally contrasted with 'spiritual' matters.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

spiritual

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