# carry away

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/carry-away
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to lose control of your feelings or actions because you are very excited or interested in something.

For teachers: to cause someone to lose self-control or composure through intense emotion or enthusiasm. Frequently occurs in the passive voice or with the auxiliary 'get'.

## Examples

- Don't get carried away and spend all your money.
- I got carried away while shopping and bought three pairs of shoes I didn't need.
- The orator's passion was so infectious that the entire crowd was carried away by his vision of a utopian future.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I carried away by the music." but "I got carried away by the music." — The phrase is almost always used in the passive voice, requiring 'be' or 'get'.

## Usage notes

- Usually appears in the passive form 'be/get carried away' followed by 'with' or 'by'.
- Teaching tip: Focus on the passive 'get carried away' as it is the most frequent usage; contrast with 'lose control' which sounds more negative.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.