crossroad

noun

cross·​road ˈkrȯs-ˌrōd 

also -ˈrōd

1

: a road that crosses a main road or runs cross-country between main roads

2

usually crossroads ˈkrȯs-ˌrōdz 

also -ˈrōdz

plural in form but singular or plural in construction

a

: the place of intersection of two or more roads

b(1)

: a small community located at such a crossroads

(2)

: a central meeting place

c

: a crucial point especially where a decision must be made

Synonyms of crossroad

• intersection
• corner
• junction

Examples of crossroad in a Sentence

Traffic was stopped at the crossroad.

We turned onto a crossroad.

Recent Examples on the Web

Argyle, a quiet community holding on to its rural roots, is at a crossroads with rapid growth and traffic congestion driving the need to widen FM 407, which goes through the town in southern Denton County. —Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 June 2026

As complexities increase, that crossroads of simplicity and safety will continue to be a focal point — and tools like those created by CyberFOX will continue to stand out for maintaining ease of use, adaptability, and scalability, all without compromising on strong security. —Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 8 June 2026

The best starting staff in the major leagues was at a crossroads just a month ago with Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow ailing, while Roki Sasaki was struggling. —Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 8 June 2026

The Edmonton Oilers’ offseason received a jolt on Thursday after an article from Mark Spector at Sportsnet outlined that the Oilers and veteran defenceman Darnell Nurse are reaching a crossroads that will, sooner or later, see a parting of ways. —Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 5 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for crossroad

• abode
• anode
• barcode
• bestowed
• boatload
• borrowed
• carload
• caseload
• cathode
• commode
• corrode
• decode

Kids Definition

crossroad

noun

cross·​road ˈkrȯs-ˌrōd 

-ˈrōd

1

: a road that crosses a main road or runs across country between main roads

2

a

: a place where roads cross

—usually used in plural

b

: a small community at a crossroads

3

: a place or time at which a decision must be made