Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

crash-land

verb \ ˈkrash-ˈland \
See What's Trending Now See More Trending Words

Definition of crash-land

transitive verb
: to land (an airplane or spacecraft) under emergency conditions usually with damage to the craft
intransitive verb
: to crash-land an airplane or spacecraft
—

crash landing

noun

See crash-land defined for English-language learners

See crash-land defined for kids

First Known Use of crash-land

1941

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year
NEW! Time Traveler

CRASH-LAND Defined for English Language Learners

crash-land

verb

Definition of crash-land for English Language Learners

  • : to land (an airplane, helicopter, etc.) in an unusual way because of an emergency

Learn More about crash-land

  1. See words that rhyme with crash-land

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up crash-land? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

WORD OF THE DAY

cathexis

play

investment of mental or emotional energy

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. charlatan 'faker or fraud'

  2. lowlife 'a person of low moral character'

  3. kakistocracy 'government by the worst people'

  4. slimeball 'a morally repulsive or odious person'

  5. salacious 'arousing or appealing to sexual desire'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

crash-land

Test Your Vocabulary

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

  • image1926873504
  • Which of the following best describes an easily irritated person?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Citation

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play

alt-5ade0f1ca7a0c
'Complement' vs. 'Compliment'

The distinction is clear (now).

image236659401
Words from Letters in the Greek Alphabet

When English borrows from another alphabet

alt-5ada140ed3e28
'Preventive' or 'Preventative'?

Why not both?

alt-5ad8fc71357ed
Words We're Watching: 'Bluebeard,' the Verb

No, it's not a coiffure trend

Ask the Editors

image1760257654
2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

How we chose 'feminism'

video-title-words-of-the-year-1066
Words of the Year: 1066

Or, Why Pig Meat is Called 'Pork' and Cow Meat is Called 'Beef'

video-literally
Literally

How to use a word that (literally) drives some people nuts.

video-his-or-her
Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

The awkward case of 'his or her'

Word Games

image1926873504
Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

Test your knowledge of strange human behaviors.

Take the quiz
cats-on-impossible-timber
More Confusing Words—Quiz

How many of these commonly confused words do you know?

Take the quiz
Spell It
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

Take the quiz
Citation
Citation

Do you know the person or title these quotes describe?

Play the game