cross-examine
Americanverb (used with object)
-
cross-examines,
present (3rd person singular)
-
cross-examined,
past participle, past
-
cross-examining
present participle
-
to examine by questions intended to check a previous examination; examine closely or minutely.
-
Law. to examine (a witness called by the opposing side), as for the purpose of discrediting the witness's testimony.
verb
-
law to examine (a witness for the opposing side), as in attempting to discredit his testimony Compare examine-in-chief
-
to examine closely or relentlessly
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
cross-examinesimple
-
cross-examinessimple
-
have cross-examinedperfect
-
has cross-examinedperfect
-
am cross-examiningprogressive
-
are cross-examiningprogressive
-
is cross-examiningprogressive
-
have been cross-examiningperfect progressive
-
has been cross-examiningperfect progressive
Past
-
cross-examinedsimple
-
had cross-examinedperfect
-
was cross-examiningprogressive
-
were cross-examiningprogressive
-
had been cross-examiningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of cross-examine
First recorded in 1655–65
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.
See Examples For:
Ruemmler told the Journal that she never drafted a letter, represented Epstein or was asked to cross-examine victims.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026
They’ve got one cooperator, but you can cross-examine the cooperator, who’s cooperating in hopes of a more lenient sentence.
From Slate ● Jan. 7, 2026
The trial continued, and on 24 March Stephen Leslie KC was brought in to cross-examine Mr Perks - a measure made to provide balance to the prosecution case.
From BBC ● Apr. 8, 2025
“As laid out by Jack Smith in his report, the evidence here seems very strong, but, of course, a defendant would have an opportunity to cross-examine every witness and present his own defense,” McQuade said.
From Salon ● Jan. 14, 2025
Nels Gudmundsson now tottered to his feet in order to cross-examine Sterling Whitman.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
A climactic scene between these two actors in which Jackson cross-examines Göring is a riveting piece of courtroom drama.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2025
Todd Blanche cross-examines Michael Cohen on the stand trying to paint him as a liar.
From BBC ● May 16, 2024
Giuliani said at the lectern, doing a terrible Joe Pesci, from the scene where he cross-examines an elderly eyewitness with bad eyesight.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 19, 2020
When I think about Harris, I remember her performance at Senate hearings: the way she challenges people, cross-examines them, and handles herself in a room.
From The Guardian ● Nov. 9, 2020
She is a wonder, if anybody cross-examines you.
From The Spenders A Tale of the Third Generation by Harry Leon Wilson
Garcia joined Fields in the back row, watching as Steel cross-examined Kacey Hester, also known as OTF Jam, one of the admitted shooters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
Victims are often cross-examined during the lengthy legal proceedings, which frequently deepens their sense of guilt, Tsang noted.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
Because Florsheim had no lawyer, he cross-examined his neighbor himself.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026
Dr Lynch's acquittal in the US, where witnesses were properly cross-examined, exposed the truth.
From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2026
After being examined by Farid, Helen would then be cross-examined by the twenty-seven other co-accused.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
With this rule in place, and with prosecutors thirsty to invoke it, the first part of every excessive punishment analysis turns into Tom Cruise cross-examining Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men: Q: “Grave Danger?”
From Slate ● Dec. 29, 2025
Mesloh believes Harris’ natural rhetorical style is more lawyerly, when she can deliver a methodical case as if cross-examining a witness in front of a jury.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2024
While cross-examining a witness for the Justice Department, John Schmidtlein, Google’s lead trial lawyer, tried to describe how this suit differed from the landmark antitrust case brought against Microsoft in the 1990s.
From New York Times ● Nov. 14, 2023
In cross-examining Woodyard, Senior Assistant Attorney General Jason Slothouber pointed out that the first thing he did after returning back on the scene was call Rosenblatt away to talk away from anyone’s body camera.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 1, 2023
It’s like he was cross-examining my subconscious, looking for some clue he might have missed the ninety-ninth time around.
From "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs
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.
