1 A2 neutral
To physically move from one side of something to the other, especially a road, border, or boundary.
"We crossed over the river using the old stone bridge at the edge of town."
inseparable
cross over
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
To move from one side, group, genre, or domain to another, either physically or figuratively.
In plain English
To go from one side or one type of thing to a completely different one.
What does "cross over" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic neutral
To move into a different genre, field, or audience, especially in music or entertainment.
"The country singer crossed over to pop music and became an international star."
“
She crossed over and found a whole new audience who'd never heard country music before.
— Rolling Stone Magazine, referring to Taylor Swift's genre transition (2014)
inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral
(Euphemism) To die; to pass from life into death, especially in a spiritual context.
"The family gathered around her bedside as she peacefully crossed over."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To physically go across from one side to the other.
Actually means
To go from one side or one type of thing to a completely different one.
Usage tip
Has both literal (physical movement across a boundary) and figurative uses. The figurative sense of moving between music genres or entertainment fields is very common in entertainment journalism. Also used as a euphemism for dying in religious or informal contexts.
Words that pair with "cross over"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
genre market boundary border audience style
How to conjugate "cross over"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
cross over
I/you/we/they
3rd person
crosses over
he/she/it
Past simple
crossed over
yesterday
Past participle
crossed over
have + pp
-ing form
crossing over
continuous
Hear "cross over" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "cross over" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "cross over"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
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