crossing

1 of 2

noun

cross·​ing ˈkrȯ-siŋ How to pronounce crossing (audio)
Synonyms of crossingnext
1
: the act or action of crossing: such as
a
: a traversing or traveling across
b
: an opposing, blocking, or thwarting especially in an unfair or dishonest manner
2
a
: a place or structure (as on a street or over a river) where pedestrians or vehicles cross
especially : crosswalk
b
: the place in a cruciform church where the transept crosses the nave
c
: a place where a railroad track crosses a street

crossing

2 of 2

present participle of cross entry 2

Synonyms of crossing

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of crossing in a Sentence

Noun Stop at the railroad crossing. a crossing for ferry boats the crossing of a mountain range a weeklong crossing of the Atlantic Ocean
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Tentative signs of improvement emerged in May, June and July, when border crossings picked up slightly, the agency reported. — Rio Yamat, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026 This border crossing was once a bustling nexus for tourists and traders moving between China and Nepal. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026 Associated Press journalists waiting at a checkpoint south of the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon saw a convoy of ICRC vehicles heading toward the Naqoura border crossing Friday morning and later return. — Fadi Tawil, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026 Delays at border crossings can disrupt factory inputs, delivery appointments and transportation schedules, while rerouting freight can increase transit times and costs. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crossing

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1575, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crossing was in 1575

Phrases Containing crossing

Rhymes for crossing

See All Rhymes for crossing

Browse Nearby Words

cross infection
crossing
crossing file
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crossing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crossing. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

crossing

noun
cross·​ing ˈkrȯ-siŋ How to pronounce crossing (audio)
1
a
: the act of one that crosses
b
: a voyage across water
c
: the act or process of interbreeding or hybridizing
2
: a place where a street or stream is crossed
3
: a place where two things (as a street and a railroad track) cross
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of gist

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All