get carried away

Meaning

This expression means to become so excited, angry, or interested in something that you lose control of your actions or feelings. It is often used to describe overreacting, overspending, or doing too much of something. The tone is casual and conversational.

Examples

• I only meant to buy a few things, but I got carried away and spent a hundred dollars.

  I only meant to buy a few things, but I got carried away and spent a hundred dollars.

• Don't get carried away with the decorations; keep it simple.

  Don't get carried away with the decorations; keep it simple.

• He got carried away during the argument and said some things he regrets.

  He got carried away during the argument and said some things he regrets.

• The crowd got carried away when the band played their favorite song.

  The crowd got carried away when the band played their favorite song.

• I got a bit carried away planning the party and invited fifty people.

  I got a bit carried away planning the party and invited fifty people.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I was carried away by the music.

  ✓ I got carried away by the music.

  While 'be carried away' is grammatically correct in passive contexts, 'get carried away' is the active, natural idiom used to describe losing control in the moment.

• ✗ Don't carry away with the shopping.

  ✓ Don't get carried away with the shopping.

  The idiom requires the reflexive/passive-like structure 'get carried away' to show that the action happened to you.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I'm sorry I yelled; I just ___ during the game.

  💡 Lost control of my emotions.

  Show answer

  got carried away

• Try not to ___ when you start bidding on the auction.

  💡 Do not lose control and spend too much.

  Show answer

  get carried away