crossing

noun

cross·​ing ˈkrȯ-siŋ 

1

: the act or action of crossing: such as

a

: a traversing or traveling across

b

: an opposing, blocking, or thwarting especially in an unfair or dishonest manner

2

a

: a place or structure (as on a street or over a river) where pedestrians or vehicles cross

especially : crosswalk

b

: the place in a cruciform church where the transept crosses the nave

c

: a place where a railroad track crosses a street

Synonyms of crossing

• voyage
• cruise

Examples of crossing in a Sentence

Stop at the railroad crossing.

a crossing for ferry boats

the crossing of a mountain range

a weeklong crossing of the Atlantic Ocean

Recent Examples on the Web

Before teeing it up, we were required to sign a waiver to play the unconventional 18-hole short course, a nod to its cliff-hugging switchbacks and a maze of showy cart path water crossings. —T.j. Olwig, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2025

Scorsese recalls crossing paths with Reiner for the first time in the Los Angeles comedy scene of the early 1970s, when both of them were just starting out in their careers. —Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 25 Dec. 2025

Now the space is tighter and the crossing angle is more difficult, leading to an easy block from Lucas Pires. —Mark Carey, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2025

Most of the route was shaded by a tree canopy and the creek crossings helped make the temperature feel cooler. —Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1575, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing crossing

• crossing guard
• crossing-over
• grade crossing
• level crossing
• pedestrian crossing
• pelican crossing
• railroad crossing
• zebra crossing

Rhymes for crossing

• bossing
• glossing
• tossing
• crisscrossing
• embossing
• outcrossing
• recrossing

Kids Definition

crossing

noun

cross·​ing ˈkrȯ-siŋ 

1

a

: the act of one that crosses

b

: a voyage across water

c

: the act or process of interbreeding or hybridizing

2

: a place where a street or stream is crossed

3

: a place where two things (as a street and a railroad track) cross