"across" vs "cross"

Question

"across" vs "cross"

The phrases 'cross' and 'across' are not directly comparable as they have different meanings and usage. 'Cross' is a preposition or verb indicating movement from one side to another, while 'across' is a preposition indicating movement over a surface or from one side to another. They are not interchangeable in most contexts.

Last Updated: March 31, 2024

Use 'across' when referring to movement over a surface or from one side to another, such as 'walk across the field' or 'swim across the river.'

Examples:

They walked across the bridge.
The cat ran across the street.

Alternatives:

over
through
from one side to the other
on the other side

You can use 'cross' when talking about moving from one side of something to the other, such as 'cross the street' or 'cross the river.'

Examples:

She crossed the road carefully.
The hikers crossed the bridge to reach the other side.

Alternatives:

go across
move over
pass through
traverse

Answer 1

across

The word 'across' is a preposition indicating movement over a surface or from one side to another.

Answer 2

cross

The word 'cross' can be used as a preposition or verb to indicate movement from one side to another.

"across" vs "cross"

across

cross

Related Comparisons