Phrasal verb
cross out
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
cross out
Past
crossed out
Past participle
crossed out
Definition
phrasal verb. to draw a line through a word or sentence because it is wrong or you want to remove it.
phrasal verb. to delete or invalidate written text by drawing a horizontal line through it. Transitive and optionally separable.
Examples
“Please cross out the wrong date on the invitation.”
“If you make a mistake on the official form, you should cross it out neatly rather than using correction fluid.”
“The historian noted that the king had personally crossed out several names from the list of prisoners scheduled for release.”
Examples
simple
“Please cross out the wrong date on the invitation.”
contextual
“If you make a mistake on the official form, you should cross it out neatly rather than using correction fluid.”
complex
“The historian noted that the king had personally crossed out several names from the list of prisoners scheduled for release.”
Usage
You can put the object either after the whole phrase or in the middle.
Teaching tip
Useful for classroom management; explain that 'cross out' is preferred over 'scribble out' in formal work.
Pitfall
Please cross out it.
Please cross it out.
If the object is a pronoun, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.
Phrasal verb
Particles
out
Separability
optional
Pattern
cross + out + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/cross-out