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.

Jeffrey Donaldson was at the peak of his powers - that was until police arrived at his door the following week and his world came crashing down.

From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026

I don’t think he took that into account, and unfortunately he ended up crashing into a meter, thereby destroying our idea for being in a slow-moving car.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2026

The Scottish sporting psyche demands that even in victory, the mind starts to drift forward to when and how it might all come crashing down.

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2026

That might not sound like a long time, but it was enough to keep cars and trains from crashing, prevent people from being trapped in elevators, and give others time to scramble to cover.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland

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