crucify
verb
cru·ci·fy
ˈkrü-sə-ˌfī 
crucified; crucifying
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
Examples of crucify in a Sentence
They crucified her in the newspapers for having an affair.
Recent Examples on the Web
Yelena begrudgingly agrees, and from the start, this decision is a clever lift on religious iconography, as if Mother Mary took up arms against the Roman forces herself instead of letting her Son be crucified.
—
Zachary Lee, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
Industrial steel brackets are pierced by garage nails to reimagine Jesus being crucified on the hill of Calvary between two thieves, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Branagh was nearly crucified by critics and audiences back in the day, but his film has grown in estimation over the years.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2025
Yet, others are crucified for not posting quickly enough—like when 90210 fans attacked Jenny Garth for her silence after Luke Perry’s death, or when the internet turned on the Friends cast for waiting days to acknowledge Matthew Perry’s passing.
—Alessandra Schade, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crucify
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Zachary Lee, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2025
Industrial steel brackets are pierced by garage nails to reimagine Jesus being crucified on the hill of Calvary between two thieves, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Branagh was nearly crucified by critics and audiences back in the day, but his film has grown in estimation over the years.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2025
Yet, others are crucified for not posting quickly enough—like when 90210 fans attacked Jenny Garth for her silence after Luke Perry’s death, or when the internet turned on the Friends cast for waiting days to acknowledge Matthew Perry’s passing.
—Alessandra Schade, Time, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for crucify
Cite this Entry
“Crucify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crucify. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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
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