crossfire
Americannoun
-
lines of gunfire from two or more positions or combatants crossing one another, or a single one of such lines.
-
a brisk exchange of words or opinions.
-
a situation involving conflicting claims, forces, etc.
noun
-
military converging fire from one or more positions
-
a lively exchange of ideas, opinions, etc
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of crossfire
First recorded in 1855–60
Explanation
Crossfire is when weapons are being fired from different directions, crossing the same general area. Getting caught in crossfire during a shootout can be deadly. Crossfire is a situation that comes up when gangsters and police officers are shooting at each other, or in a war during a battle between enemies. A figurative type of crossfire is much more common: the back-and-forth of strenuous arguments, debate, or controversy. You might, for example, find yourself caught in the crossfire of your best friends' feud. The word dates from the 18th century.
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:
And while markets and ordinary Americans have focused on the rise in oil prices, fertilizer also gotten caught in the crossfire.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 2, 2026
It is not clear whether the Secret Service agent was shot by the suspect, or was caught in crossfire from other law enforcement.
From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2026
Paris has rejected the accusations against him and called for Ryan's immediate release, insisting he is not linked to French intelligence and arguing he has been caught in the crossfire of diplomatic tensions.
From Barron's ● Mar. 16, 2026
Some countries in the region have been caught in the crossfire after strikes launched by the United States and Israel on Saturday 28 February.
From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2026
Or were the families just trying to survive the crossfire?
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
The Regional Homelessness Authority was caught in the crossfires of finger pointing after a hotel shelter program collapsed.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 30, 2023
His protagonists, often working-class, are caught in the crossfires of history without easy resolution.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2023
"He's a guy that changes speeds, comes at you from an angle and crossfires on you," Mattingly said.
From Seattle Times ● May 30, 2013
It is this feeling that Rauschenberg tries to catch in his art: all the crossfires of a split second bashed together into a single, isolated work.
From Time Magazine Archive
They will inspect the surf through which the invaders struggled 40 years ago, young amphibians buffeted by waves and torn by crossfires.
From Time Magazine Archive
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.
