Synonyms

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.

A pilot was hospitalized Monday after crashing his small plane in the parking lot of an auto store in Pacoima, according to authorities.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

So investors who were “overhedged for chaos” have sent prices of put options, or bets on markets going lower, crashing and big investors racing to cover bearish positions on stocks.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

The software bug was capable of crashing an operating system used by firewalls, servers and network appliances.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

Then, a joke uttered by someone else on the show brought everything crashing down.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

I ran after him, crashing through the field.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

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