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

• 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

In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are potentially dangerous in heavy rain. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2025

Low-water crossings are especially vulnerable and could become impassable. —Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025

But this display of discipline has turned an otherwise typical goose crossing into a trove of viral delight. —Samanta Habashy, IndyStar, 11 July 2025

To his point, crossings at the U.S. southern border recently dropped to a record low, with around 8,300 apprehensions in February, compared to around 29,000 in January, the month Trump took office, according to Axios. —Brendan Rascius july 11, Miami Herald, 11 July 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