crashing

American

[krash-ing] / ˈkræʃ ɪŋ /

adjective

absolute; complete; utter.

a crashing bore.
unusual or superlative; exceptional.

a crashing celebration.

crashing British

/ ˈkræʃɪŋ /

adjective

informal (prenominal) (intensifier) (esp in the phrase a crashing bore )

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

crashingly

adverb

Etymology

Origin of crashing

First recorded in 1925–30; crash ¹ + -ing ²

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.

How many more hits can it take before it all comes crashing down?

From Slate • Jun. 29, 2026

"The whole world literally just came crashing down and our life took a complete 360 overnight when she was diagnosed," added Paige.

From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026

They bet too aggressively and blew up in 1998, nearly crashing the financial system.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026

And there’s something appealing about an outsider crashing City Hall, which is way too beholden to sclerotic lifers who can be as clueless about what the city needs as Pratt turned out to be.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

She watched as the cloud came up and over the crest, crashing down the opposite side.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023