crossing

noun

cross·​ing ˈkrȯ-siŋ How to pronounce crossing (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The minimum crossing altitude was listed at or above 1,380 feet msl. Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2025 More than 60 students are on a waiting list for bus transportation to and from the school, Shepard said, and many live more than five miles away along routes that lack sidewalks or safe street crossings. Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 June 2025 On Monday, the Chinese embassy in Iran advised Chinese nationals to leave the country as soon as possible, designating four border crossings—with Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan—as priority routes. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 June 2025 The nationalities of those crossing have shifted since the Biden administration, returning to the historical pattern led by Mexicans, given their geographic proximity. Ronny Rojas, NBC news, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for crossing

Word History

First Known Use

1575, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of crossing was in 1575

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crossing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crossing. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

crossing

noun
cross·​ing ˈkrȯ-siŋ How to pronounce crossing (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on crossing

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