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

See Good Friday 2026 date Good Friday always falls on the Friday immediately before Easter Sunday and commemorates the day Jesus was crucified. —Lianna Norman, Florida Times-Union, 16 Feb. 2026

The next day, on a Friday, Jesus was crucified. —Bailey Allen, Cape Cod Times, 13 Feb. 2026

The following day, a Friday, Jesus was crucified. —Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer, 12 Feb. 2026

The following day, a Friday, Jesus was crucified. —Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 9 Feb. 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
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi
• certify

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