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.

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026

“All he wanted was to learn, but all of his dreams just came crashing down,” said Winston Garcia, one of Wilber’s older brothers.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 17, 2026

The bigger most IPOs are, the harder and faster they come crashing back to Earth.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

Nor do we know if he's aware that by crashing into the political debate, he has done precisely what Nowak's family did not want.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

Neighbor had whispered to neighbor that a hundred-foot wall of water could come crashing down the river.

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