x
1 Americanverb (used with object)
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to cross out or mark with or as if with an x (often followed byout ).
to x out an error.
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to indicate choice, as on a ballot or examination (often followed byin ).
to x in the candidate of your choice.
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an unknown quantity or a variable.
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the letter x used to replace or obscure a gender morpheme, as to avoid the -o or -a inflection of a word borrowed from Spanish or the sequence m-e-n in the word women . See Latinx, womxn.
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the letter x indicating a variable and used to hold a place in a word or abbreviation that can be occupied by another letter, as in CxO to account for a range of specialized executive positions in a corporation, for example CEO , CFO , and COO .
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(used at the end of letters, telegrams, etc., to indicate a kiss.)
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(used to indicate multiplication) times.
8 × 8=64.
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(used between figures indicating dimensions) by.
3″ × 4″ (read: “three by four inches”);
3″ × 4″ × 5″ (read: “three by four by five inches”).
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power of magnification.
a 50x telescope.
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(used as a signature by an illiterate person.)
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cross.
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crossed with.
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(used to indicate a particular place or point on a map or diagram).
X marks the spot where the pirates' treasure is buried.
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out of; foaled by.
a colt by Flag-a-way x Merrylegs.
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(used to indicate choice, as on a ballot, examination, etc.)
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(used to indicate an error or incorrect answer, as on a test.)
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Mathematics. (in Cartesian coordinates) the x-axis.
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Chess. captures.
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a person, thing, agency, factor, etc., of unknown identity.
I feel sorry for poor Mr. X, the man she will ultimately marry.
noun
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X's,
plural
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Xs,
plural
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x's,
plural
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xs
plural
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the 24th letter of the English alphabet, a consonant.
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any spoken sound or combination of sounds represented by the letter X or x, as in xylene, box, or exact.
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something having the shape of an X .
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a written or printed representation of the letter X or x.
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a device, as a printer's type, for reproducing the letter X or x.
abbreviation
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experimental.
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extra.
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extraordinary.
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the 24th in order or in a series.
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(sometimes lowercase) the Roman numeral for 10.
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Christ.
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Christian.
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cross.
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Electricity. reactance.
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Slang. a ten-dollar bill.
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(no longer in official use by the Motion Picture Association of America) a rating for movies with subject matter that is suitable for adults only.
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(in Great Britain) a designation for a film recommended for adults only.
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a person, thing, agency, factor, etc., of unknown identity.
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Chemistry. (formerly) xenon.
symbol
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indicating a film that may not be publicly shown to anyone under 18. Since 1982 replaced by symbol 18
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( as modifier )
an X film
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denoting any unknown, unspecified, or variable factor, number, person, or thing
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(on letters, cards, etc) denoting a kiss
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(on ballot papers, etc) indicating choice
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(on examination papers, etc) indicating error
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for Christ; Christian
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ten See Roman numerals
symbol
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commerce banking finance ex
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maths the x- axis or a coordinate measured along the x- axis in a Cartesian coordinate system
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an algebraic variable
noun
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the 24th letter and 19th consonant of the modern English alphabet
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a speech sound sequence represented by this letter, in English pronounced as ks or gz or, in initial position, z, as in xylophone
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of x
First recorded in 1840–50
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:
Say something like, “My explanation of benefits from my insurance says I only owe x amount. Where did this bill/charge come from?”
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026
Hottle played a young orphan named Jia in the monster film series, and reprised the role in the 2024 sequel Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
With two years of operation, it could also map sodium, while improving the grid size to 30 x 30 kilometers.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 6, 2026
For his readers, Mr. Elwes makes this number more manageable with another tool, exponentiation: There are 107 x 1060 = 1067 monkeys.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 29, 2026
The probability of the first is % x Vs x Vs = 5/2i6, a result which holds true for the second and third ways as well.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
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They spent $1,500 for two seats StubHub described as Section X, Row 1.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Carrington, who has more than 365,000 followers on Instagram under the handle RIELLEUK, made it to the X Factor live finals in 2013 as one of the three members of Miss Dynamix.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
However, Northwestern says middle-aged Americans are feeling the pinch, and Generation X remains the least confident.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026
Prime Minister Mark Carney earlier posted his gratitude to firefighters and first responders on X, thanking them for "working tirelessly to keep people safe."
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
Each blazer has a badge with the initials MP, two swords making an X, and Non Nobis Solum.
From "Black Brother, Black Brother" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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Space X's Falcon 9 rocket is a reusable model and has been sent into space on several missions.
From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026
"The approved measures will enable researchers, civil society and the general public to gain more transparency into X’s systems and the impact on users," he added.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
Apparently the NHL was initially unaware of this addition, and the elder Pocklington’s name was later covered with a row of X’s.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
A separate investigation into X’s handling of illegal content and information manipulation is ongoing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026
Before I can even think, I’m back on Mr. X’s doormat, staring at Safer’s loafers.
From "Liar & Spy" by Rebecca Stead
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“It’s called mano y mano and it’s not always Xs, and O’s. You got to stop the man and guard your yard.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2026
If you have trouble following, there are many Philadelphians who will explain, having had the Xs and Os of the playbook tattooed on their skin.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026
The TikToks, Instagrams, and Xs of the world would rather nobody be worried about screen time at all, even as a few of those apps allow users to set their own limits.
From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2025
It is often called a violent chess match, and if you have ever seen inside a playbook and seen each play drawn up in Xs and Os fashion, you would have to agree.
From BBC ● Feb. 7, 2025
It looks like a bad pirate’s map with Xs marked for the treasure.
From "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko
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But there are other cases in which scholars can only guess about the origins of x’s role, such as the phrase “X marks the spot.”
From Scientific American ● Aug. 10, 2023
The term tweets will also be changed to "x's", according to Mr Musk.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2023
But each entry on the list is a 20-character string of numbers and letters followed by a lot of x’s.
From New York Times ● May 29, 2022
Nearby in a tent, 30-ish chairs sat on spaced out yellow x’s.
From Slate ● Jan. 14, 2021
Once the guppies turn into x's and y’s, my contacts fog.
From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson
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Paide the smythe for making a new clapper for the great bell, xs.
From Notes and Queries, Vol. III, Number 86, June 21, 1851 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Geneologists, etc. by Various
Item for the Tretys of Werre in iiij. books, which conteyneth lx. levis, after ijd. a leaff xs.
From The Boke of Noblesse by Unknown
Then follow "the names of those who were served with this writt, and who most willingly obeyed upon the receipt thereof," contributing altogether xvili xs 0.
From Christmas: Its Origin and Associations Together with Its Historical Events and Festive Celebrations During Nineteen Centuries by William Francis Dawson
So he said "Didn't you never correspond with a girl and put some of them xs down to the bottom of your letter?"
From The Real Dope by Ring Lardner
They imprint certain cabalistic tokens of ownership on the logs,--crosses, xs, stars, crescents, alphabetical letters,--marks respected all along the rivers and lakes down to the boom where the sticks are garnered for market.
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 10, No. 58, August, 1862 by Various
I self-consciously x’d out of my browser window, open to three Blythe Harris platforms.
From The Guardian ● Oct. 18, 2014
I got out the chart from its case on the suit's belt, x'd the location, and went on, feeling more lonely all the time.
From Attrition by Roy G. Krenkel
Some Tottall of the Allowances and paymentes—M,ciijviij'li. viij's. x'd.
From Notes and Queries, Number 01, November 3, 1849 by Various
He x-ed out of Google, then sank back into the chair, his head in his hands.
From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds
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As he scrolled, read, clicked, and x-ed, Tess started coming up with her own ideas on how to birdnap.
From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds
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Acknowledging the Pentagon expulsions, Iran’s embassy in South Africa posted photos on social media Friday x-ing out portraits of several top U.S. military officials fired in recent months.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2026
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.