crucify

verb

cru·​ci·​fy ˈkrü-sə-ˌfī 

crucified; crucifying

transitive verb

1

: to put to death by nailing or binding the wrists or hands and feet to a cross

2

: to destroy the power of : mortify

crucify the flesh

3

a

: to treat cruelly : torment

b

: pillory sense 2

crucified in the press

crucifier

ˈkrü-sə-ˌfī-ər 

noun

Examples of crucify in a Sentence

They crucified her in the newspapers for having an affair.

Recent Examples on the Web

More to Explore Participants take panata so seriously that the play’s director initially refused to permit a 40-year-old welder who had spent his life savings traveling to Cutud to be crucified. — H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 10 July 2026

Armie Hammer is comparing his exile from Hollywood to being crucified. — Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026

Special props to the jolly axe-throwing head of adventure, Nye Rees; personable Brasserie maitre d’, Javier Padron; and trainer Peter Sullivan, who explained the finer points of fasting for women whilst crucifying my glutes. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 May 2026

The subtler moments of Jesus carrying the cross on which he will be crucified are much more compelling. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 3 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English crucifien, from Anglo-French crucifier, from Late Latin crucifigere

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for crucify

• abscissae
• adonai
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi

Kids Definition

crucify

verb

cru·​ci·​fy ˈkrü-sə-ˌfī 

crucified; crucifying

1

: to put to death by nailing or binding the hands and feet to a cross

2

: to treat cruelly : torture, persecute

were crucified in the newspapers

crucifier

-fī-ər 

noun

Etymology

Middle English crucifien "to crucify," from early French crucifier (same meaning), from Latin crucifigere "to crucify," from cruc-, crux "cross" and figere "to fasten, fix" — related to cross, crucifix, excruciating, fix