Across vs. Cross: What's the Difference?
Edited by Harlon Moss || By Janet White || Updated on October 3, 2023
"Across" is a preposition or adverb describing a movement or position from one side to another, while "cross" is primarily a verb indicating the act of moving or extending over or through.
Key Differences
"Across" is commonly used as a preposition or adverb to indicate movement from one side of a boundary or surface to another. For example, one might say, "I walked across the street." It is also used to describe a specific location or placement, as in "The store is across the river."
On the other hand, "cross" can function as a verb, noun, and even an adjective in various contexts. As a verb, "cross" represents the act of moving from one side to another. It implies an action, such as "I will cross the road." It can also signify intersection or traversing, as in railway crossing or crossroads.
From a grammatical standpoint, "across" is not used as a verb. It serves as a preposition or an adverb in a sentence. "Cross," conversely, is more versatile and can function as a noun ("the cross"), a verb ("to cross"), or an adjective ("cross traffic").
Idiomatically, both "across" and "cross" feature in various phrases. "Across" is often found in idioms like "come across," meaning to find or meet accidentally, while "cross" can appear in idioms like "cross your fingers," which is a gesture for good luck.
Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Preposition, Adverb
Verb, Noun, Adjective
ADVERTISEMENT
Movement
Indicates moving from one side to another
Represents the act of moving from one side to another
Idiomatic Use
"Come across," "across the board"
"Cross your fingers," "cross my heart"
Verb Form
No verb form
Used as a verb
Specificity
More specific in direction
More general
Across and Cross Definitions
Across
From one side to another
He walked across the bridge.
ADVERTISEMENT
Cross
Contradict
Don't cross me on this issue.
Across
Spanning
A smile spread across her face.
Cross
An upright post with a transverse piece near the top, on which condemned persons were executed in ancient times.
Across
On, at, or from the other side of
Across the street.
Cross
Often Cross The cross upon which Jesus was crucified.
Across
So as to cross; through
Drew lines across the paper.
Cross
A crucifix.
Across
From one side of to the other
A bridge across a river.
Cross
Any of various modifications of the cross design, such as a Latin cross or Maltese cross.
Across
Into contact with
Came across my old roommate.
Cross
A medal, emblem, or insignia in the form of a cross.
Across
From one side to the other
The footbridge swayed when I ran across.
Cross
Cross The Christian religion; Christianity.
Across
On or to the opposite side
We came across by ferry.
Cross
(Christianity) The sign of the cross.
Across
Crosswise; crossed.
Cross
A trial, affliction, or frustration.
Across
In such a manner as to be comprehensible, acceptable, or successful
Put our idea across.
Get a message across.
Cross
A mark or pattern formed by the intersection of two lines, especially such a mark (X) used as a signature.
Across
Being in a crossed position
Seated with arms across.
Cross
A movement from one place to another, as on a stage; a crossing.
Across
To, toward, or from the far side of (something that lies between two points of interest).
We rowed across the river.
Fortunately, there was a bridge across the river.
He came across the street to meet me.
Cross
A pipe fitting with four branches in upright and transverse form, used as a junction for intersecting pipes.
Across
On the opposite side of (something that lies between two points of interest).
That store is across the street.
Cross
(Biology) A plant or animal produced by crossbreeding; a hybrid.
Across
Across from: on the opposite side, relative to something that lies between, from (a point of interest).
Cross
One that combines the qualities of two other things
A novel that is a cross between romance and satire.
Across
From one side to the other within (a space being traversed).
The meteor streaked across the sky.
He walked across the room.
Could you slide that across the table to me, please?
Cross
A hook thrown over an opponent's punch in boxing.
Across
At or near the far end of (a space).
Cross
A pass made into the center of the field to a player in position to score, especially in soccer.
Across
Spanning.
This poetry speaks across the centuries.
Cross
(Law) An act or instance of cross-examining; a cross-examination.
Across
Throughout.
All across the country, voters were communicating their representatives.
Cross
The Southern Cross.
Across
So as to intersect or pass through or over at an angle.
Lay the top stick across the bottom one.
She had straps fastened across the conduit every six feet.
Cross
(Slang) A contest whose outcome has been dishonestly prearranged.
Across
In possession of full, up-to-date information about; abreast of.
Cross
To go or extend across; pass from one side of to the other
Crossed the room to greet us.
A bridge that crosses the bay.
Across
From one side to the other.
She helped the blind man across;
The river is half a mile across
Cross
To carry or conduct across something
Crossed the horses at the ford.
Across
On the other side.
If we sail off at noon, when will we be across?
Cross
To extend or pass through or over; intersect
Elm Street crosses Oak Street.
Across
In a particular direction.
He leaned across for a book.
Cross
(Sports) To propel (a ball or puck) as a cross, as in soccer.
Across
(crosswords) Horizontally.
I got stuck on 4 across.
Cross
To delete by drawing a line through
Crossed tasks off her list as she did them.
Across
A word that runs horizontally in the completed puzzle grid or its associated clue.
I solved all of the acrosses, but then got stuck on 3 down.
Cross
To eliminate or dismiss as unimportant or undesirable
“He thought about Mr. Fraser and crossed him off as an unknown quantity” (Scott O'Dell).
Across
From side to side; athwart; crosswise, or in a direction opposed to the length; quite over; as, a bridge laid across a river.
Cross
To make or put a line across
Cross and divide a circle.
Across
From side to side; crosswise; as, with arms folded across.
Cross
To place crosswise one over the other
Cross one's legs.
Across
Obliquely; athwart; amiss; awry.
The squint-eyed Pharisees look across at all the actions of Christ.
Cross
To make the sign of the cross upon or over as a sign of devotion or blessing.
Across
Placed crosswise;
Spoken with a straight face but crossed fingers
Crossed forks
Seated with arms across
Cross
To encounter in passing
His path crossed mine.
Across
To the opposite side;
The football field was 300 feet across
Cross
To combine the qualities of two things
A movie that crosses horror with humor.
Across
In such a manner as to be understood and accepted;
She cannot get her ideas across
Cross
To interfere with; thwart or obstruct
Don't cross me.
Across
Transversely;
The marble slabs were cut across
Cross
To betray or deceive; double-cross. Often used with up.
Across
On the other side
The bank is across the river.
Cross
(Biology) To crossbreed or cross-fertilize (plants or animals).
Across
In every part
The news spread across town.
Cross
(Law) To cross-examine.
Across
At a right angle
Place the boards across the beams.
Cross
To lie or pass across each other; intersect.
Cross
To move or extend from one side to another
Crossed through Canada en route to Alaska.
Cross
To make a crossing
Crossed into Germany from Switzerland.
Cross
To meet in passing; come into conjunction
Their paths crossed at the health club.
Cross
To move or be conveyed in opposite directions at the same time
Our letters must have crossed in the mail.
Cross
(Biology) To crossbreed or cross-fertilize.
Cross
Lying or passing crosswise; intersecting
A cross street.
Cross
Contrary or counter; opposing.
Cross
Showing ill humor; annoyed.
Cross
Involving interchange; reciprocal.
Cross
Crossbred; hybrid.
Cross
Crosswise.
Cross
Across.
Cross
A geometrical figure consisting of two straight lines or bars intersecting each other such that at least one of them is bisected by the other.
Put a cross for a wrong answer and a tick for a right one.
Cross
(heraldry) Any geometric figure having this or a similar shape, such as a cross of Lorraine or a Maltese cross.
Cross
A wooden post with a perpendicular beam attached and used (especially in the Roman Empire) to execute criminals (by crucifixion).
Criminals were commonly executed on a wooden cross.
Cross
(Christianity) Usually with the: the cross on which Christ was crucified.
Cross
(Christianity) A hand gesture made in imitation of the shape of the Cross.
She made the cross after swearing.
Cross
(Christianity) A modified representation of the crucifixion stake, worn as jewellery or displayed as a symbol of religious devotion.
She was wearing a cross on her necklace.
Cross
(figurative, from Christ's bearing of the cross) A difficult situation that must be endured.
It's a cross I must bear.
Cross
The act of going across; the act of passing from one side to the other
A quick cross of the road.
Cross
(biology) An animal or plant produced by crossbreeding or cross-fertilization.
Cross
(by extension) A hybrid of any kind.
Cross
(boxing) A hook thrown over the opponent's punch.
Cross
(football) A pass in which the ball is kicked from a side of the pitch to a position close to the opponent’s goal.
Cross
A place where roads intersect and lead off in four directions; a crossroad (common in UK and Irish place names such as Gerrards Cross).
Cross
A monument that marks such a place. (Also common in UK or Irish place names such as Charing Cross)
Cross
(obsolete) A coin stamped with the figure of a cross, or that side of such a piece on which the cross is stamped; hence, money in general.
Cross
Church lands.
Cross
A line drawn across or through another line.
Cross
(surveying) An instrument for laying of offsets perpendicular to the main course.
Cross
A pipe-fitting with four branches whose axes usually form a right angle.
Cross
(Rubik's Cube) Four edge cubies of one side that are in their right places, forming the shape of a cross.
Cross
(cartomancy) The thirty-sixth Lenormand card.
Cross
(slang) crossfire.
Cross
Transverse; lying across the main direction.
At the end of each row were cross benches which linked the rows.
Cross
(archaic) Opposite, opposed to.
His actions were perversely cross to his own happiness.
Cross
Opposing, adverse; being contrary to what one would hope or wish for.
Cross
Bad-tempered, angry, annoyed.
She was rather cross about missing her train on the first day of the job.
Please don't get cross at me. (or) Please don't get cross with me.
Cross
Made in an opposite direction, or an inverse relation; mutually inverse; interchanged.
Cross interrogatories
Cross marriages, as when a brother and sister marry persons standing in the same relation to each other
Cross
(nautical) Of the sea, having two wave systems traveling at oblique angles, due to the wind over shifting direction or the waves of two storm systems meeting.
Cross
(archaic) across
She walked cross the mountains.
Cross
Cross product of the previous vector and the following vector.
The Lorentz force is q times v cross B.
Cross
To make or form a cross.
Cross
To place across or athwart; to cause to intersect.
She frowned and crossed her arms.
Cross
To lay or draw something across, such as a line.
To cross the letter t
Cross
To mark with an X.
Cross the box which applies to you.
Cross
To write lines of text at right angles to and over the top of one another in order to save paper.W
Cross
To make the sign of the cross over oneself.
Cross
(transitive) To make the sign of the cross over (something or someone).
Cross
To move relatively.
Cross
(transitive) To go from one side of (something) to the other.
Why did the chicken cross the road?
You need to cross the street at the lights.
Cross
(intransitive) To travel in a direction or path that will intersect with that of another.
Ships crossing from starboard have right-of-way.
Cross
(transitive) To pass, as objects going in an opposite direction at the same time.
Cross
(sports) Relative movement by a player or of players.
Cross
(social) To oppose.
Cross
(transitive) To contradict (another) or frustrate the plans of.
"You'll rue the day you tried to cross me, Tom Hero!" bellowed the villain.
Cross
To interfere and cut off ; to debar.
Cross
(legal) To conduct a cross examination; to question a hostile witness.
Cross
(biology) To cross-fertilize or crossbreed.
They managed to cross a sheep with a goat.
Cross
(transitive) To stamp or mark (a cheque) in such a way as to prevent it being cashed, thus requiring it to be deposited into a bank account.
Cross
A gibbet, consisting of two pieces of timber placed transversely upon one another, in various forms, as a T, or +, with the horizontal piece below the upper end of the upright, or as an X. It was anciently used in the execution of criminals.
Nailed to the crossBy his own nation.
Cross
The sign or mark of the cross, made with the finger, or in ink, etc., or actually represented in some material; the symbol of Christ's death; the ensign and chosen symbol of Christianity, of a Christian people, and of Christendom.
The custom of making the sign of the cross with the hand or finger, as a means of conferring blessing or preserving from evil, is very old.
Before the cross has waned the crescent's ray.
Tis where the cross is preached.
Cross
Affiction regarded as a test of patience or virtue; trial; disappointment; opposition; misfortune.
Heaven prepares a good man with crosses.
Cross
A piece of money stamped with the figure of a cross, also, that side of such a piece on which the cross is stamped; hence, money in general.
I should bear no cross if I did bear you; for I think you have no money in your purse.
Cross
An appendage or ornament or anything in the form of a cross; a badge or ornamental device of the general shape of a cross; hence, such an ornament, even when varying considerably from that form; thus, the Cross of the British Order of St. George and St. Michael consists of a central medallion with seven arms radiating from it.
Cross
A monument in the form of a cross, or surmounted by a cross, set up in a public place; as, a market cross; a boundary cross; Charing Cross in London.
Dun-Edin's Cross, a pillared stone,Rose on a turret octagon.
Cross
A common heraldic bearing, of which there are many varieties. See the Illustration, above.
Cross
The crosslike mark or symbol used instead of a signature by those unable to write.
Five Kentish abbesses . . . .subscribed their names and crosses.
Cross
Church lands.
Cross
A line drawn across or through another line.
Cross
A mixing of breeds or stock, especially in cattle breeding; or the product of such intermixture; a hybrid of any kind.
Toning down the ancient Viking into a sort of a cross between Paul Jones and Jeremy Diddler.
Cross
An instrument for laying of offsets perpendicular to the main course.
Cross
A pipe-fitting with four branches the axes of which usually form's right angle.
Cross
Not parallel; lying or falling athwart; transverse; oblique; intersecting.
The cross refraction of the second prism.
Cross
Not accordant with what is wished or expected; interrupting; adverse; contrary; thwarting; perverse.
The cross and unlucky issue of my design.
The article of the resurrection seems to lie marvelously cross to the common experience of mankind.
We are both love's captives, but with fates so cross,One must be happy by the other's loss.
Cross
Characterized by, or in a state of, peevishness, fretfulness, or ill humor; as, a cross man or woman.
He had received a cross answer from his mistress.
Cross
Made in an opposite direction, or an inverse relation; mutually inverse; interchanged; as, cross interrogatories; cross marriages, as when a brother and sister marry persons standing in the same relation to each other.
Cross
Athwart; across.
A fox was taking a walk one night cross a village.
Cross
To put across or athwart; to cause to intersect; as, to cross the arms.
Cross
To lay or draw something, as a line, across; as, to cross the letter t.
Cross
To pass from one side to the other of; to pass or move over; to traverse; as, to cross a stream.
A hunted hare . . . crosses and confounds her former track.
Cross
To pass, as objects going in an opposite direction at the same time.
Cross
To run counter to; to thwart; to obstruct; to hinder; to clash or interfere with.
In each thing give him way; cross him in nothing.
An oyster may be crossed in love.
Cross
To interfere and cut off; to debar.
To cross me from the golden time I look for.
Cross
To make the sign of the cross upon; - followed by the reflexive pronoun; as, he crossed himself.
Cross
To cancel by marking crosses on or over, or drawing a line across; to erase; - usually with out, off, or over; as, to cross out a name.
Cross
To cause to interbreed; - said of different stocks or races; to mix the breed of.
Cross
To lie or be athwart.
Cross
To move or pass from one side to the other, or from place to place; to make a transit; as, to cross from New York to Liverpool.
Cross
To be inconsistent.
Men's actions do not always cross with reason.
Cross
To interbreed, as races; to mix distinct breeds.
If two individuals of distinct races cross, a third is invariably produced different from either.
Cross
A wooden structure consisting of an upright post with a transverse piece
Cross
Marking consisting of crossing lines
Cross
A cross as an emblem of Christianity; used in heraldry
Cross
Any affliction that causes great suffering;
That is his cross to bear
He bears his afflictions like a crown of thorns
Cross
An organism that is the offspring of genetically dissimilar parents or stock; especially offspring produced by breeding plants or animals of different varieties or breeds or species;
A mule is a cross between a horse and a donkey
Cross
(genetics) the act of mixing different species or varieties of animals or plants and thus to produce hybrids
Cross
Travel across or pass over;
The caravan covered almost 100 miles each day
Cross
Meet at a point
Cross
Hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of;
What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge
Foil your opponent
Cross
Fold so as to resemble a cross;
She crossed her legs
Cross
To cover or extend over an area or time period;
Rivers traverse the valley floor
The parking lot spans 3 acres
The novel spans three centuries
Cross
Meet and pass;
The trains crossed
Cross
Trace a line through or across;
Cross your `t'
Cross
Breed animals or plants using parents of different races and varieties;
Cross a horse and a donkey
Mendel tried crossbreeding
These species do not interbreed
Cross
Extending or lying across; in a crosswise direction; at right angles to the long axis;
Cross members should be all steel
From the transverse hall the stairway ascends gracefully
Transversal vibrations
Transverse colon
Cross
Perversely irritable
Cross
To move over
He crossed the street.
Cross
Intersect
The two roads cross here.
Cross
Extend over
The bridge crosses the river.
Cross
To make a hybrid
They crossed two species of roses.
FAQs
Is "cross" always a verb?
No, "cross" can also be a noun or an adjective.
What does "across" usually indicate?
"Across" usually indicates movement from one side to another.
Can "across" be a verb?
No, "across" is primarily a preposition or adverb.
What's an idiom using "across"?
"Come across," meaning to find or meet by chance.
What's an idiom using "cross"?
"Cross your fingers," a gesture for good luck.
Can "across" indicate location?
Yes, like in "The store is across the street."
What does "cross" signify as a verb?
As a verb, "cross" signifies the act of moving from one side to another.
Is "cross" more general?
Yes, it often just implies movement over or through.
Can "cross" mean to mix?
Yes, like in "cross-breeding dogs."
Is "across" more specific in direction?
Generally, yes. It often specifies where something begins and ends.
Does "across" require a boundary?
Usually, it's used to describe movement across a boundary like a street or river.
Can "across" indicate spanning?
Yes, like in "A bridge across the river."
Can "cross" imply contradiction?
Yes, like in "Don't cross me on this."
Can "cross" be used metaphorically?
Yes, like in "crossing a line" morally or socially.
Can "across" be used in math?
Yes, like in "draw a line across the triangle."
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Harlon MossHarlon is a seasoned quality moderator and accomplished content writer for Difference Wiki. An alumnus of the prestigious University of California, he earned his degree in Computer Science. Leveraging his academic background, Harlon brings a meticulous and informed perspective to his work, ensuring content accuracy and excellence.
