# crusade

/kɹuˈseɪd/ (US) · /kɹuːsˈeɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/crusade
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a campaign for change

noun · CEFR B2

a long and determined effort to achieve something you believe is right or to stop something you think is wrong.

For teachers: a vigorous, concerted movement or campaign for a cause, often social, political, or moral in nature.

- The local newspaper started a crusade against the new plastic waste in the ocean.
- The senator led a lifelong crusade against corporate corruption, eventually resulting in the landmark legislation passed last autumn.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'against' or 'for'.

### 2. historical religious war

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

one of the religious wars in the 11th to 13th centuries where European Christians fought to take control of the Holy Land.

For teachers: any of the military expeditions undertaken by European Christians in the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries to recover the Holy Land from Muslim rule.

- In history class, we learned about the First Crusade and its effect on Europe.
- Historians continue to debate the complex economic and social motivations that drove the nobility to join the Third Crusade.

Teaching tip: When referring to the specific historical events, the word is usually capitalized as 'the Crusades'.

### 3. to fight for a cause

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to take part in a long and energetic campaign for something you believe in.

For teachers: to lead or take part in an energetic and persistent campaign for a specific cause.

- She has spent years crusading for better rights for part-time workers.
- The activist spent her entire career crusading for environmental protections, even when faced with significant political opposition.

Usage: The verb is intransitive and typically takes the preposition 'for' or 'against'.

## Examples

- She led a crusade against plastic waste in her town.
- The local newspaper started a crusade to improve safety standards at the city's public swimming pools.
- What began as a personal crusade for better healthcare access eventually transformed into a nationwide movement that forced significant legislative reform in the capital.

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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.