cross-dressing

1 of 2

noun

cross-dress·​ing ˈkrȯs-ˌdre-siŋ How to pronounce cross-dressing (audio)
: the wearing of clothes designed for the opposite sex
cross-dress intransitive verb
cross-dresser noun

cross-dress

2 of 2

intransitive verb

¦krȯs-¦dres
: to dress in clothes designed for the opposite sex
cross-dresser
¦krȯs-¦dre-sər
noun

Examples of cross-dressing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
For a long time, this has included forms of cross-dressing and gender play, not as identity, but as performance, as part of a tradition that allows, briefly, for social boundaries to loosen. Vogue, 1 June 2026 The spark for Dhont came with encountering a simple black-and-white photo of a soldier cross-dressing just behind enemy lines. David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 12 May 2026 Among the quips, Thompson’s Barkley tossed in the war in Iran, a cross-dressing political spouse, and the ongoing Artemis II mission to orbit the moon. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 4 Apr. 2026 But then she was caught cross-dressing, got fired, and decided to emigrate. Valeria Luiselli, New Yorker, 8 Feb. 2026 Of course, the song was first made famous by original Frank-N-Furter Tim Curry, who played the cross-dressing icon in both the original 1973 London stage show as well as the 1975 movie. Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 26 Jan. 2026 In addition to the international travel her plan requires, heroine and track-and-field star Mizuki must cross-dress to attend the all-boys school where her high-jumping beau studies. Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 1 Jan. 2026 After receiving a wave of backlash, the now-notorious TERF said her villain — a cross-dressing cis murderer — was based on a real-life pair of killers, Jerry Brudos and Russell Williams. Quispe López, Them., 30 Oct. 2025 Several drag queens attended in protest against Trump’s complaints that the Kennedy Center had hosted too many shows featuring cross-dressing in the past. Dave Goldiner, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Intransitive verb

cross entry 5

First Known Use

Noun

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cross-dressing was in 1911

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cross-dressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cross-dressing. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

cross-dressing

noun
cross-dress·​ing
ˈkrȯs-ˌdres-iŋ
: the wearing of clothes made for the opposite sex
cross-dresser
-ər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cross-dressing

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster