“carry”

To support and transport a load or burden with sustained effort.

“She bore the ancient lantern through the fog-drenched streets without once letting it dim.”

Best for: Works well in formal or literary prose to imply weight and responsibility.

To transport or transmit something from one place or person to another.

“The merchant conveys silk and spice across three kingdoms before the harvest moon rises.”

Best for: Slightly formal; suits professional writing and descriptions of deliberate movement.

To carry something, especially by hand, with casual or habitual ease.

“He toted his battered guitar case up six flights without breaking a sweat.”

Best for: Colloquial and vivid; punchy in dialogue or fast-paced narrative scenes.

To drag or haul something heavy with considerable physical effort.

“They lugged the waterlogged trunk across the mudflats as the tide crept in behind them.”

Best for: Punchy and visceral; ideal for emphasizing struggle, weight, or gritty realism.

To carry a boat or its cargo overland between two bodies of water.

“The voyageurs portaged their canoes through dense pine forest for three grueling miles.”

Best for: Specific to wilderness or historical travel; adds authentic texture to adventure writing.

To move or carry something along by rolling or with a slow, rumbling motion.

“The old woman trundled her cart of moonflowers down the cobbled lane each dawn.”

Best for: Literary and atmospheric; evokes slow, rhythmic movement with a gentle, almost whimsical tone.