across
Americanpreposition
-
from one side to the other of.
a bridge across a river.
-
on or to the other side of; beyond.
across the sea.
-
into contact with; into the presence of, usually by accident.
to come across an old friend; to run across a first edition of Byron.
-
crosswise of or transversely to the length of something; athwart.
coats across the bed; straddled across the boundary line.
adverb
-
from one side to another.
-
on the other side.
We'll soon be across.
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crosswise; transversely.
with arms across.
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so as to be understood or learned.
He couldn't get the idea across to the class.
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into a desired or successful state.
to put a business deal across.
adjective
preposition
-
from one side to the other side of
-
on or at the other side of
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so as to transcend boundaries or barriers
people united across borders by religion and history
the study of linguistics across cultures
-
fully informed about; dealing with
we are across this problem
adverb
-
from one side to the other
-
on or to the other side
Etymology
Origin of across
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When it came out, “Start Over” broke Day’s personal record for release day streams with 100,000 across Spotify, Apple and YouTube.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
The drama is coming to the BBC as part of plans to tell "authentic Welsh stories", forming a wider push to increase representation across the UK.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
“Pricing across consumer products tends to adjust with a lag, reflecting hedging practices and inventory cycles,” said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy with Saxo Bank, in a note published this week.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
In 2016, geologist Rowan Martindale was hiking across a hillside in Morocco when something unusual caught her eye.
From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026
Frabwick folded his arms across his huge, furry chest.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
