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

The tactic has become more popular with smugglers as police on the beaches try to thwart crossings by puncturing the rafts that groups of migrants have to inflate and carry to the water. —ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026

But after significant lobbying on both sides of the border, President Barack Obama and Mexico President Felipe Calderón reached an agreement in 2010 in principle to reopen the crossing at Boquillas. —Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2026

The funds will be used to make Americans with Disabilities Act improvements on roads and walkways, such as tactile paving surfaces designed to alert the visually impaired about hazards such as road crossings and drop-offs. —Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026

While more than 100 ships per day ordinarily cross the strait, in March an average of only six vessels made the trip, while this month crossings have averaged about 10 per day, according to data from Marine Traffic. —Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026

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