Meaning & use
cross-checking
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Meanings
noununcountable
The act of checking information by comparing it with a second, independent source or method.
Grammar: Usually uncountable, so you say 'careful cross-checking' rather than 'a cross-checking'; it often follows verbs like need, involve, or require.
Patterns
- do some cross-checking
- cross-checking of something
- cross-checking against something
The reporter did some cross-checking before publishing the figures.
Cross-checking of the data against hospital records revealed two errors.
Good cross-checking takes time, but it saves you from embarrassing mistakes.
adjectivebefore a noun
Used before a noun to describe a step or process that compares facts from more than one source.
Grammar: Comes directly before a noun, as in 'a cross-checking procedure'; it is not used after the verb 'be'.
Patterns
- a cross-checking process
- a cross-checking step
The lab uses a cross-checking procedure for every sample.
They added a cross-checking step to the safety routine.
Common combinations
- careful cross-checking
- Careful cross-checking caught a mistake in the totals.
- cross-checking of data
- Cross-checking of data is standard in scientific work.
- do some cross-checking
- Let me do some cross-checking before I answer.
- cross-checking against records
- Cross-checking against the original records is essential.
- thorough cross-checking
- Thorough cross-checking slowed the project down but improved accuracy.
Synonyms and how they differ
- verification
- More formal and often means proving something is true, while cross-checking stresses comparing two or more sources.
- double-checking
- Usually means checking the same thing again yourself; cross-checking suggests using a different source or method.
- fact-checking
- Common in journalism and means checking claims for accuracy, often as part of a broader process.
Word family
- cross-check verb
- to check something by comparing it with another source
- cross-check noun
- a single act of comparing information to check it
- check verb
- to look at something to make sure it is correct or safe
Commonly confused: cross-checking or cross-examination? cross-checking or cross-training?
cross-checking vs cross-examination
This is a legal term for questioning a witness in court, not for comparing data sources.
cross-checking vs cross-training
This means training in different sports or skills, so it has nothing to do with checking facts.
Practice
Which sentence uses cross-checking correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Cross-checking' works as a noun or an -ing form in sentence 2, where it is the subject of 'took'. Option 1 is wrong because 'to' must be followed by the base form 'cross-check', not the -ing form; option 3 needs 'cross-checks' or 'is cross-checking'; option 4 leaves the preposition 'of' without an object.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cross-checking”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.