crossroad

noun

cross·​road ˈkrȯs-ˌrōd 

also -ˈrōd

1

: a road that crosses a main road or runs cross-country between main roads

2

usually crossroads ˈkrȯs-ˌrōdz 

also -ˈrōdz

plural in form but singular or plural in construction

a

: the place of intersection of two or more roads

b(1)

: a small community located at such a crossroads

(2)

: a central meeting place

c

: a crucial point especially where a decision must be made

Synonyms of crossroad

• intersection
• corner
• junction

Examples of crossroad in a Sentence

Traffic was stopped at the crossroad.

We turned onto a crossroad.

Recent Examples on the Web

For centuries, these islands have been at the crossroads of empires, trade routes and cultures. —Adam Pourahmadi, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026

The multitude of water managers tasked with overseeing the drying Colorado River system stand at a dire crossroads. —Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 19 Apr. 2026

Or at least a crossroads, with numerous immediate needs and plenty others that have to be reconciled sooner than later as more contracts come to an end and Travis Kelce likely retires after this season. —Kansas City Star, 17 Apr. 2026

The 10 and the 110 are literally the crossroads of the city, so it’s really poised to be a special building. —Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for crossroad

• abode
• anode
• barcode
• bestowed
• boatload
• borrowed
• carload
• caseload
• cathode
• commode
• corrode
• decode

Kids Definition

crossroad

noun

cross·​road ˈkrȯs-ˌrōd 

-ˈrōd

1

: a road that crosses a main road or runs across country between main roads

2

a

: a place where roads cross

—usually used in plural

b

: a small community at a crossroads

3

: a place or time at which a decision must be made