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

That realization forced a crossroads. —Abraham Nudelstejer, Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026

Laura is a woman at the crossroads attempting to find herself again. —Pete Hammond, Deadline, 16 Feb. 2026

Our history has repeatedly placed us at moral crossroads, asked to decide whether our freedom struggle aligns with broader visions of human dignity or retreats into narrower self-interest. —Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 15 Feb. 2026

Macau, China At the crossroads of a number of different civilizations, Macau is today a small enclave of China with—like nearby Hong Kong—a unique status as a special administrative region. —Annabelle Dufraigne, Architectural Digest, 15 Feb. 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