crisscross

1 of 3

verb

criss·​cross ˈkris-ˌkrȯs How to pronounce crisscross (audio)
crisscrossed; crisscrossing; crisscrosses

transitive verb

1
: to mark with intersecting lines
2
: to pass back and forth through or over

intransitive verb

1
: to go or pass back and forth
2

crisscross

2 of 3

adjective

: marked or characterized by crisscrossing
crisscross adverb

crisscross

3 of 3

noun

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
Verb
Miller helped develop a Cornell Lab of Ornithology app that recognizes birdsong and now crisscrosses the Americas setting up recorders and analyzing audio data to create new measures of bird diversity. Andrew Van Dam, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 Her campaign has also been crisscrossing the U.S. in the final days ahead of March 5 to meet as many voters as possible. Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 4 Mar. 2024 Introduction Clusters of hundreds or thousands of galaxies sit at the intersections of giant, crisscrossing filaments of matter that form the tapestry of the cosmos. Liz Kruesi, Quanta Magazine, 4 Mar. 2024 Peter Do, in his sophomore collection for Helmut Lang, also offered his own take on the look, encircling a model’s waist twice, giving the illusion of two crisscrossing belts. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 16 Feb. 2024 The three-bedroom and two-and-a-half-bath home’s I-beam steel-frame armature supports vast expanses of glass and a 30-foot ceiling in the central atrium that is crisscrossed by a geometric assemblage of bridges and staircases. Mark David, Robb Report, 26 Jan. 2024 More than a dozen employees, mostly in their early 20s and friends of Mr. McGrath’s from high school, crisscrossed the space on scooters, Segways and skateboards. Charles W. McFarlane, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2024 Cremins crisscrossed both states during his hoops journey. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 28 Feb. 2024 But these waters are now also home to major American and Canadian ports, and nearly 300,000 vessels crisscrossed the area in 2023, from commercial container ships to cruise ships to ferries, according to the Coast Guard. Manuel Valdes, The Christian Science Monitor, 22 Feb. 2024
Adjective
His pants were a slender fit while his blazer had a crisscross detail, leaving his waist exposed. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 15 Jan. 2024 Preheat oven to 375 degree F. Using a sharp knife, make a crisscross slash across the top of each bun. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Jan. 2024 At the event, the actress stepped out in a sleeveless bronze sequin Michael Kors gown with a front center cutout and a crisscross neckline that bared her toned midriff. Jordan Greene, Peoplemag, 16 Jan. 2024 Pugh shined in a glitzy blush pink Rodarte dress with a crisscross neckline and soft peplum. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 10 Jan. 2024 Brunson’s gown, a simple sparkly silver dress with mesh panels on the sides and a crisscross neckline, complemented Ralph’s more dramatic black dress with a lime green accent on her puff sleeves down to a train, styled by Jessica Paster. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 7 Jan. 2024 The actor’s white bra was fully visible under the crisscross blouse, which featured a plunging cowl at the back and gathered at the hip. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 19 Dec. 2023 The monokini has a crisscross design across the front, leaving a small cutout along the midriff to add a little sexiness. Lindsey Greenfeld, Peoplemag, 5 July 2023 Halle Bailey, attending the premiere of The Color Purple on December 6 in Los Angeles, walked the carpet in a scarlet gown with multiple tiers of pleated, heavily ruffled taffeta skirt and a crisscross halter neck on the bodice. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 7 Dec. 2023
Noun
Each hot cross bun is scored with a crisscross or decorated with a cross made of icing. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Jan. 2024 Unlike the crisscross, the cup cannot be made to lie flat. Kevin Hartnett, Quanta Magazine, 5 Jan. 2024 Using a pastry brush, lightly brush water in a crisscross on each bread dough. Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2023 Amberjack’s Peters said his company recently changed its lacing style to crisscross. John Kelly, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2023 An undercurrent of darkness and portentous mystery courses throughout — evoked by low-stirring reeds, a crisscross of percussionists and drummers, or the band members’ baritones uniting in a chanted chorus. Giovanni Russonello, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2020 For a dose of tailoring for the office, pick up Frankie Shop’s minimalist blazer and style it with a comfortable pair of Agolde’s crisscross jeans. Julie Tong, Vogue, 13 July 2022 Plus, the spaghetti straps offer a crisscross back design that complements the tiered silhouette. Karla Pope, Woman's Day, 24 May 2022 Her signature crisscross waistbands are created through a three-step process, and Popova enlists her mother’s help to finish the jeans by removing their stitching. Liana Satenstein, Vogue, 11 May 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crisscross.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

obsolete christcross, crisscross mark of a cross

First Known Use

Verb

1818, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Adjective

1614, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1824, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crisscross was in 1614

Dictionary Entries Near crisscross

Cite this Entry

“Crisscross.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crisscross. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

crisscross

1 of 2 verb
criss·​cross ˈkris-ˌkrȯs How to pronounce crisscross (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on crisscross

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