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Meaning & use

at cross purposes

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UK/ət ˌkrɒs ˈpɜːpəsɪz/
US/ət ˌkrɔs ˈpɝpəsɪz/

Meanings

  1. phraseidiom

    Misunderstanding each other because each person believes the discussion is about something different.

    Grammar: Needs a plural subject or a with: we were talking at cross purposes.

    Patterns

    • talk at cross purposes
    • be at cross purposes with someone

    We were talking at cross purposes, so I thought you meant the red car.

    The two managers were at cross purposes and nothing was agreed.

    I think we are at cross purposes; I asked about next week, not last.

  2. phraseidiom

    Working toward goals that conflict, so that efforts block each other.

    Grammar: Follows work, act or be: the departments work at cross purposes.

    Patterns

    • work at cross purposes
    • act at cross purposes

    The two departments work at cross purposes, wasting money.

    The new rules act at cross purposes with the old ones.

    Government agencies were at cross purposes over the policy.

Common combinations

talk at cross purposes
They talked at cross purposes for an hour.
work at cross purposes
Teams working at cross purposes slow the project.
be at cross purposes
I think we are at cross purposes.
end up at cross purposes
They ended up at cross purposes.

Synonyms and how they differ

miscommunicate
Miscommunicate is a verb for failing to understand, whereas at cross purposes describes a mutual mix-up.
at odds
At odds means in disagreement, but at cross purposes can be an innocent misunderstanding.
on different pages
On different pages is informal and mostly about shared understanding.

Opposites

on the same pagein agreement

Word family

purpose noun
aim or goal
cross adjective
opposing or angry
purposeful adjective
having a clear aim
counterproductive adjective
having the opposite of the wanted effect

Commonly confused: at cross purposes or cross purpose?

at cross purposes vs cross purpose

The singular cross purpose is a common error; the idiom uses the plural, at cross purposes.

Practice

'We were at cross purposes' means ___.

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