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

Running Fence was envisioned as a fabric-laden fence that would traverse Sonoma and Marin counties in Northern California to the sea, crossing roads, highways, and private property. —Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025

In addition to kidnappings, the gangs run extortion rings and control access to a key border crossing for commerce between Haiti and the neighboring Dominican Republic. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025

And though Caltrans has identified over 100 sites where wildlife crossings could reduce the toll, most of them remain unfunded. —Chaewon Chung, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025

How to check airport TSA wait times There are several ways to check the real-time waiting period at security checkpoints and border crossings. —John Tufts, IndyStar, 7 Nov. 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