cross the line
idiom
: to go beyond what is proper or acceptable
Her criticism crossed the line from helpful to just plain hurtful.
The magazine crossed the line when they printed the nude photos.
Examples of cross the line in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Wrestlers and celebrities deal with these issues when fans cross the line and take things too far.
—
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
Forcing schools to teach only the views supported by the federal government amounts to a violation of free speech, the organizations say, and the directive is so vague that schools don’t know what practices cross the line.
—Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2025
But did Church's Texas Chicken cross the line with their latest series of advertisements?
—Chris Sims, The Courier-Journal, 14 Nov. 2024
At what point does this cross the line from helpful to manipulative?
—Jason Snyder, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cross the line
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
Forcing schools to teach only the views supported by the federal government amounts to a violation of free speech, the organizations say, and the directive is so vague that schools don’t know what practices cross the line.
—Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2025
But did Church's Texas Chicken cross the line with their latest series of advertisements?
—Chris Sims, The Courier-Journal, 14 Nov. 2024
At what point does this cross the line from helpful to manipulative?
—Jason Snyder, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cross the line
Cite this Entry
“Cross the line.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cross%20the%20line. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share