# cross out

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cross-out
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to draw a line through a word or sentence because it is wrong or you want to remove it.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "Please cross out it." but "Please cross it out." — If the object is a pronoun, it must be placed between the verb and the particle.

## Usage notes

- 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.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.