cross·over
ˈkrȯs-ˌō-vər 
2
: an instance or product of genetic crossing-over
3
: a voter registered as a member of one political party who votes in the primary of the other party
4
: a broadening of the popular appeal of an artist (such as a musician) that is often the result of a change of the artist's medium or style
also
: an artist or artistic work that has achieved a crossover
5
: an instance of breaking into another category
6
: a basketball maneuver in which a player dribbles the ball quickly from one hand to the other
7
or crossover SUV
: an automotive vehicle that is similar to a sport utility vehicle but built on a car chassis : cuv
What makes crossovers attractive is that most combine the look of an SUV with the more civilized driving characteristics of a car.—
Jonathan Welch
Jonathan Welch1
: having two pieces that cross especially one over the other
a crossover vest
2
: critical sense 2
the crossover point
crossed over; crossing over; crosses over
: to reach a broader audience by a change of medium or style
a country singer crossing over to the pop charts
Examples of crossover in a Sentence
Noun
The actor made a smooth crossover to politics.
a rock musician's crossovers into jazz and soul music
Recent Examples on the WebIan Crouch, The New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2023
The crossover of pop queens occurred on Tuesday night (Nov. 21), when Camila Cabello and Olivia Rodrigo spent some quality time together.
—Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 22 Nov. 2023
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s state visit to London has birthed one of the most noteworthy international pop-culture crossovers in recent memory: K-Pop group Blackpink at Buckingham Palace.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2023
The combination of Taylor’s smooth vocals and Deodato’s stylish production brought Kool & the Gang a series of massive crossover hits during the late 1970s and 1980s.
—Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2023
In the meantime, Tesla will have to lean on its existing range of ever-older models led by the core mid-size 3 sedan and Y crossover that together account for more than nine out of 10 Teslas sold.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 15 Nov. 2023
Unfortunately, this box office sum seemingly upended any momentum Kennedy felt for his Freaky and Happy Death Day crossover pitch known as Freaky Death Day, something Jason Blum all but confirmed to THR last year.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Nov. 2023
Dozens of vehicles have debuted at the show, from production kei vans and crossover concepts to eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) prototypes and robotic scooters.
—Daniel Golson, The Verge, 27 Oct. 2023
Ditto the requisite need to shoehorn in coming-attractions previews via post-credits sequences, presented here as a particularly obnoxious hint at a particularly inevitable crossover, because multiverses gonna multiverse.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2023
Justin L. MacK, The Indianapolis Star, 24 May 2020
Kingdom Hearts is a wildly popular series featuring a crossover world of Square Enix and Disney characters.
—Thuy Ong, Bloomberg.com, 19 May 2020
Its crossover success was among the watershed moments in the commercial potential of rock ’n’ roll.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2020
Cooper, an eight-time All-Defensive Team selection, had little answer for Floyd’s mix of spin moves, crossover dribbles and floaters.
—Connor Letourneau, SFChronicle.com, 8 May 2020
Until the End of the World should have been a commercial crossover success, but instead it was cut too short to relay its intended meaning and still didn't find a wide audience.
—Eric Adams, Wired, 21 Apr. 2020
Nelson and Reilly are also credited with playing key roles in landing YouTube star KSI his first top 10 single in November, and the crossover success of classical pop singers Aled Jones and Russell Watson.
—Richard Smirke, Billboard, 18 Feb. 2020
The Great British Baking Show has become a crossover success, with American audiences falling in love with the series due to repeat airings on PBS and Netflix.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, 16 Jan. 2020
Her music resonated with both New Mexico music and Tejano audiences, with crossover success in both fields, but music outlets in the broader industry did not fully grasp the extent of her successful career within New Mexico music.
—Mario J. Lucero, Quartz, 3 Jan. 2020
Jorge Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2023
There's always a reason to look up in this Gulf Coast town as migrating bird paths cross over the island.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2023
Photograph by Glenn Hill / Getty Frum and others fear that deepfakes will cross over from pornography and satire to contaminate mainstream journalism.
—Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023
The crash was reported around 7 p.m. when a Ford F-250 driving west on state Route 78, near Barnett Drive, crossed over the solid double yellow line in the middle of the road, Officer Jared Grieshaber said in a news release.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2023
From then through 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, Marvel put forth a dizzying array of interconnected movies, with the characters jumping in and out of one another’s flicks and occasionally crossing over en masse.
—Jack Butler, National Review, 14 Nov. 2023
The song broke out first on the Country Airplay chart, then crossed over to the Hot 100, peaking at Number Two.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2023
The action-adventure spotlights a team-up of heroines, with Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau and Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel crossing over after debuting in separate Marvel projects over recent years.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 11 Nov. 2023
The in-laws of Scotland’s political leader, who were stuck in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war, have crossed over to Egypt.
—Eric Sylvers, WSJ, 4 Nov. 2023
See More
Noun
Remixes of the tune have proliferated, and, in the ultimate sign of normie crossover, even made it on the radio.
—Ian Crouch, The New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2023
The crossover of pop queens occurred on Tuesday night (Nov. 21), when Camila Cabello and Olivia Rodrigo spent some quality time together.
—Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 22 Nov. 2023
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s state visit to London has birthed one of the most noteworthy international pop-culture crossovers in recent memory: K-Pop group Blackpink at Buckingham Palace.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 21 Nov. 2023
The combination of Taylor’s smooth vocals and Deodato’s stylish production brought Kool & the Gang a series of massive crossover hits during the late 1970s and 1980s.
—Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Los Angeles Times, 17 Nov. 2023
In the meantime, Tesla will have to lean on its existing range of ever-older models led by the core mid-size 3 sedan and Y crossover that together account for more than nine out of 10 Teslas sold.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 15 Nov. 2023
Unfortunately, this box office sum seemingly upended any momentum Kennedy felt for his Freaky and Happy Death Day crossover pitch known as Freaky Death Day, something Jason Blum all but confirmed to THR last year.
—Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Nov. 2023
Dozens of vehicles have debuted at the show, from production kei vans and crossover concepts to eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) prototypes and robotic scooters.
—Daniel Golson, The Verge, 27 Oct. 2023
Ditto the requisite need to shoehorn in coming-attractions previews via post-credits sequences, presented here as a particularly obnoxious hint at a particularly inevitable crossover, because multiverses gonna multiverse.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Nov. 2023
Adjective
Police believe an eastbound semi was doing a U-turn through the crossover because of a closure caused by the earlier crash.
—Justin L. MacK, The Indianapolis Star, 24 May 2020
Kingdom Hearts is a wildly popular series featuring a crossover world of Square Enix and Disney characters.
—Thuy Ong, Bloomberg.com, 19 May 2020
Its crossover success was among the watershed moments in the commercial potential of rock ’n’ roll.
—Los Angeles Times, 9 May 2020
Cooper, an eight-time All-Defensive Team selection, had little answer for Floyd’s mix of spin moves, crossover dribbles and floaters.
—Connor Letourneau, SFChronicle.com, 8 May 2020
Until the End of the World should have been a commercial crossover success, but instead it was cut too short to relay its intended meaning and still didn't find a wide audience.
—Eric Adams, Wired, 21 Apr. 2020
Nelson and Reilly are also credited with playing key roles in landing YouTube star KSI his first top 10 single in November, and the crossover success of classical pop singers Aled Jones and Russell Watson.
—Richard Smirke, Billboard, 18 Feb. 2020
The Great British Baking Show has become a crossover success, with American audiences falling in love with the series due to repeat airings on PBS and Netflix.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE.com, 16 Jan. 2020
Her music resonated with both New Mexico music and Tejano audiences, with crossover success in both fields, but music outlets in the broader industry did not fully grasp the extent of her successful career within New Mexico music.
—Mario J. Lucero, Quartz, 3 Jan. 2020
Verb
Dodgers Waiting game: Why the Dodgers’ winter plans hinge on Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Dec. 1, 2023
Ohtani’s free agency presents a chance for the league to cross over into the mainstream sports conversation and grab attention from casual fans for a stretch during the offseason.
—Jorge Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 4 Dec. 2023
There's always a reason to look up in this Gulf Coast town as migrating bird paths cross over the island.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2023
Photograph by Glenn Hill / Getty Frum and others fear that deepfakes will cross over from pornography and satire to contaminate mainstream journalism.
—Daniel Immerwahr, The New Yorker, 13 Nov. 2023
The crash was reported around 7 p.m. when a Ford F-250 driving west on state Route 78, near Barnett Drive, crossed over the solid double yellow line in the middle of the road, Officer Jared Grieshaber said in a news release.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2023
From then through 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, Marvel put forth a dizzying array of interconnected movies, with the characters jumping in and out of one another’s flicks and occasionally crossing over en masse.
—Jack Butler, National Review, 14 Nov. 2023
The song broke out first on the Country Airplay chart, then crossed over to the Hot 100, peaking at Number Two.
—Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2023
The action-adventure spotlights a team-up of heroines, with Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau and Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel crossing over after debuting in separate Marvel projects over recent years.
—Michaela Zee, Variety, 11 Nov. 2023
The in-laws of Scotland’s political leader, who were stuck in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war, have crossed over to Egypt.
—Eric Sylvers, WSJ, 4 Nov. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'crossover.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing crossover
Dictionary Entries Near crossover
Cite this Entry
“Crossover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crossover. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
crossover
noun
cross·over
ˈkrȯ-ˌsō-vər
: an instance or product of genetic crossing-over
Medical Definition
crossover
1 of 2 noun
cross·over
ˈkrȯ-ˌsō-vər
1
: an instance or product of genetic crossing-over
2
: a crossover interchange in an experiment
crossover
2 of 2 adjective
: involving or using interchange of the control group and the experimental group during the course of an experiment
a double-blind crossover study
More from Merriam-Webster on crossover
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for crossover
Nglish: Translation of crossover for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of crossover for Arabic Speakers
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