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

• cruise
• passage
• sail
• voyage

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

And traffic at a busy crossing point between Vancouver and Seattle fell 48 percent. —Josh Holder, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025

Southwest border crossings were already on a downward trend when Trump took office in January, having declined throughout 2024 after a surge in 2023. —Rachel Treisman, NPR, 29 Apr. 2025

The site of the only border crossing with Egypt, Rafah was already one of the most densely populated cities in Gaza, packed further by the flight of Palestinians from the north. —Colin Jones, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2025

An American missionary, who helps with a medical clinic near the city of Mirebalais, described to Higgins on Wednesday the aftermath of the gangs’ attack in the city, 30 miles northeast of the capital and near another border crossing with the Dominican border. —Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025

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