1
: a crisscross pattern : network
2
: the state of being at cross-purposes
also
: a confused state
Examples of crisscross in a Sentence
Verb
Several highways crisscross the state.
shoelaces that crisscross over the top of the shoe
Tourists crisscrossed the lake from morning until night.
Scientists have been crisscrossing the country to collect data.
Noun
She pointed toward the crisscross of trees that had fallen on the path.
Recent Examples on the Web
Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
His face—framed by white hair, crisscrossed by age lines, and rendered strangely magnetic by unusually small, ice-blue eyes—has become the face of psychiatric euthanasia in the Netherlands.
—Charles Lane, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2026
CBS News, 12 Feb. 2026
Rather than the usual crisscross pattern, Holmes’ sweater features solid block diamonds in bold colors for a harlequin look that is honestly a breath of fresh air.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 27 Jan. 2026
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
The jeans have slimming panels with a crisscross design that shape and support curves, while the high front waist smooths the tummy area.
—Melony Forcier, InStyle, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crisscross
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Verb
Tobin showed a map of Griffith to illustrate her point about the number of railroads that crisscrossed Northwest Indiana en route to Chicago, the nation’s rail hub.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026
His face—framed by white hair, crisscrossed by age lines, and rendered strangely magnetic by unusually small, ice-blue eyes—has become the face of psychiatric euthanasia in the Netherlands.
—Charles Lane, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Flatten each ball with a fork, making a crisscross pattern.
—CBS News, 12 Feb. 2026
Rather than the usual crisscross pattern, Holmes’ sweater features solid block diamonds in bold colors for a harlequin look that is honestly a breath of fresh air.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
Use a manual rake to make a crisscross pattern, pushing deeply into the ground to loosen the thatch.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
The jeans have slimming panels with a crisscross design that shape and support curves, while the high front waist smooths the tummy area.
—Melony Forcier, InStyle, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for crisscross
Cite this Entry
“Crisscross.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crisscross. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
crisscross
1 of 2 verb
criss·cross
ˈkris-ˌkrȯs 
1
: to mark with lines that cross each other
2
: to go or cross back and forth
crisscross
2 of 2 noun
: a pattern formed by crossed lines
crisscross
adjective or adverb
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