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

• carrefour
• corner
• crossing
• crossway(s)
• intersection
• junction

Examples of crossroad in a Sentence

Traffic was stopped at the crossroad.

We turned onto a crossroad.

Recent Examples on the Web

Eight consecutive seasons of pushing all in precipitated a crossroads that Brown began to confront this week at the Winter Meetings. —Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024

Following an encounter with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. —Robert Lang, Deadline, 13 Dec. 2024

The movement’s at a crossroads at the Grammys, though. —August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024

The fall of Homs gives the insurgents control over Syria's strategic heartland and a key highway crossroads, severing Damascus from the coastal region that is the stronghold of Assad's Alawite sect and where his Russian allies have a naval base and air base. —Suleiman Al-Khalidi and Timour Azhari, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1686, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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