crucify

verb

cru·​ci·​fy ˈkrü-sə-ˌfī 

crucified; crucifying

transitive verb

1

: to put to death by nailing or binding the wrists or hands and feet to a cross

2

: to destroy the power of : mortify

crucify the flesh

3

a

: to treat cruelly : torment

b

: pillory sense 2

crucified in the press

crucifier

ˈkrü-sə-ˌfī-ər 

noun

Examples of crucify in a Sentence

They crucified her in the newspapers for having an affair.

Recent Examples on the Web

Season 4 ends before the Holy Week, with Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem, where he will later be crucified in season 6. —Randall Colburn, EW.com, 14 June 2025

The earliest Gospels, composed at least a generation after Jesus’ death, blamed the chief priests and attending crowd for persuading Pilate to have Jesus crucified. —Nathanael Andrade, The Conversation, 11 Apr. 2025

He was arrested that evening, and crucified the next day, on a Friday. —James Powel, USA Today, 12 June 2025

It was embroidered with red crosses signifying the nails used to crucify Jesus Christ. —Nbc News, NBC news, 18 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English crucifien, from Anglo-French crucifier, from Late Latin crucifigere

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for crucify

• abscissae
• alibi
• alkali
• alumni
• amoebae
• amplify
• annuli
• beautify
• brachii
• butterfly
• calculi
• certify

Kids Definition

crucify

verb

cru·​ci·​fy ˈkrü-sə-ˌfī 

crucified; crucifying

1

: to put to death by nailing or binding the hands and feet to a cross

2

: to treat cruelly : torture, persecute

were crucified in the newspapers

crucifier

-fī-ər 

noun

Etymology

Middle English crucifien "to crucify," from early French crucifier (same meaning), from Latin crucifigere "to crucify," from cruc-, crux "cross" and figere "to fasten, fix" — related to cross, crucifix, excruciating, fix