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

On either side of the bridge, there are dozens of illicit routes across the river that are controlled by binational armed groups, bypassing even the occasional cursory checks that might occur at the official border crossing. —Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 7 Feb. 2026

Since there are fewer crossing points, the fabric is smoother, Gopinath elaborates. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 7 Feb. 2026

Jerusalem — The first week of the partial reopening of the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt was marked by confusion, and logistical hurdles, according to Palestinians attempting to cross and multiple sources who spoke to CNN on condition of anonymity. —Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026

Bezalel Zini, brother of Israeli security service chief David Zini, was indicted over smuggling 14 cartons of cigarettes through the Sufa crossing between southern Gaza and Israel in a scheme that netted him about $117,000. —Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 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