be carried away

USAGE SUMMARY

"be carried away" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation when something or someone is overcome with emotion or excitement. For example: The audience was so enraptured with the performance that they let themselves be carried away.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A few fainted and had to be carried away.

The New York Times

People just love to be carried away by it".

The New York Times

"I'm just an architect who happened to be carried away by his emotions".

The New York Times - Arts

He demonstrates the good sense not to be carried away with that degree of control.

The New York Times - Food

We were taught not to be carried away by crowd emotions, not to be fools.

The New Yorker

He had watched shoes, clothes, and furniture be carried away by the current.

The New Yorker

It was impossible not to be carried away by such emotion.

The Guardian - Travel

It would be "so easy," he says at one point, "to be carried away".

The New York Times - Books

In the gallery devoted to Beckmann works here, it is easy to be carried away.

The New York Times - Arts

Shaking from the shock, she had to be carried away on a stretcher by paramedics.

The Guardian

That evening Jackson ordered his men to destroy what could not be carried away.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In scientific contexts, use it to describe the literal movement of particles or ions by a flow or current.

Common error

Avoid using "be carried away" if the context implies a simple physical relocation without any force or loss of control involved. For instance, if a person just moves an object, they 'take it away' rather than let it "be carried away".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "be carried away" functions as a passive construction of the phrasal verb "carry away". In linguistic terms, it describes a subject that is acted upon by an external force—either a physical one (like a current) or a psychological one (like emotion). According to Ludwig AI, this usage is perfectly standard and highly versatile.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "be carried away" is a highly versatile and correct English phrase used to describe both physical displacement and emotional loss of control. Ludwig AI confirms its status as a standard expression with a very high frequency in professional journalism and scientific literature. Whether you are describing ions being moved by a current or a crowd being moved by a speech, this phrase effectively captures the sense of being overwhelmed by an external force. To sound more active, you might consider using "get carried away", but the passive form remains the preferred choice in more descriptive or formal accounts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

get carried away

shifts the focus from the state to the process of losing control

be swept away

emphasizes a more sudden or overwhelming force

lose oneself

focuses on the psychological absorption in an activity or emotion

be transported

implies being mentally moved to another place or time

be overwhelmed

conveys a stronger sense of being defeated by intensity

be captivated

specifically refers to being held by intense interest or charm

be enthralled

denotes a state of being fascinated or spellbound

overreach

specifically used when success leads to excessive ambition

be borne off

a more formal or archaic way to describe literal transport

lose perspective

focuses on the cognitive failure rather than the emotional state

FAQs

What is the difference between "be carried away" and "get carried away"?

While both describe losing control, "get carried away" is more active and informal, often suggesting the person is responsible for the behavior, whereas "be carried away" can feel more like a state the person was put into by external emotions.

How do you use "be carried away" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe emotional states, such as: "The audience was so moved they let themselves "be carried away" by the music."

Can I say "be swept away" instead?

Yes, "be swept away" is a very close synonym, often used when the emotional force feels even more powerful or sudden.

Is the phrase "be carried away" formal enough for business writing?

Yes, it is common in professional contexts, especially when cautioning against "overreacting" to short-term market trends or successes.