Crossroads
noun /ˈkrɒsrəʊdz/ — A point where paths meet; a moment of decisive choice.
Definition
The physical junction where two or more roads cross; also the most common metaphor for a moment of decisive choice — the point at which your path must commit to one direction.
Beyond the definition
Most great decisions are crossroads decisions. You arrive at them without warning — or you arrive having been pointed there by everything that's come before. The blues tradition put the crossroads at midnight with a deal to be made. The experience is older than that.
Origin & history
Old English, with associations deepened through centuries of folk tradition. The crossroads was a liminal place — between worlds, between territories — where important transactions occurred.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She stood at a professional crossroads — either choice would close off the other.
The crossroads at midnight has meant the same thing to every culture: a place of transformation.
He'd been at this crossroads before, but the choices were different now.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Crossroads” when the meaning fits your context: The physical junction where two or more roads cross; also the most common metaphor for a moment of decisive choice — the point at which your path must commit to one direction.
Synonyms
junction, turning point, fork, watershed
Antonyms
straight path, certainty
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Crossroads" mean?
Crossroads is noun meaning: A point where paths meet; a moment of decisive choice.. The physical junction where two or more roads cross; also the most common metaphor for a moment of decisive choice — the point at which your path must commit to one direction.
Where does the word "Crossroads" come from?
Old English, with associations deepened through centuries of folk tradition. The crossroads was a liminal place — between worlds, between territories — where important transactions occurred.