crash-land: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal to Neutral; Technical within aviation.
Quick answer
What does “crash-land” mean?
To bring an aircraft to the ground in an uncontrolled, forced landing, typically involving significant damage, but intending to avoid catastrophic destruction.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To bring an aircraft to the ground in an uncontrolled, forced landing, typically involving significant damage, but intending to avoid catastrophic destruction.
To cause or experience a sudden, uncontrolled, and often damaging arrival or conclusion in a non-aviation context (e.g., a business venture, a party, a software program).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling is consistently hyphenated.
Connotations
Identical connotations of emergency and uncontrolled descent.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects, used primarily in specific reporting contexts or metaphorically.
Grammar
How to Use “crash-land” in a Sentence
[Pilot/Aircraft] crash-landed [in/on LOCATION].[Pilot] was forced to crash-land the [AIRCRAFT].[ABSTRACT NOUN] crash-landed into [EVENT/CONDITION].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “crash-land” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The pilot had to crash-land the stricken aircraft in a farmer's field.
- After the engine failed, they crash-landed on a remote Scottish island.
American English
- The crew was forced to crash-land the plane in a cornfield.
- The helicopter crash-landed on the roof of the building during the storm.
adverb
British English
- The plane came down crash-land style. (Highly informal and rare)
American English
- The spacecraft descended almost crash-land. (Highly informal and rare)
adjective
British English
- The crash-land procedure was executed under extreme duress. (Note: 'crash-landing' is far more common as a compound adjective)
American English
- A crash-land scenario was simulated during the training exercise. (Note: 'crash-landing' is far more common)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphor: 'The new product crash-landed after the disastrous launch event.'
Academic
Rare, except in historical or technical analyses of aviation disasters.
Everyday
Used informally for abrupt arrivals: 'He crash-landed at my place at 3 AM.'
Technical
Standard term in aviation incident reports and pilot training for a specific type of uncontrolled landing.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “crash-land”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “crash-land”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “crash-land”
- Using as a noun (e.g., 'a crash-land') – the noun is 'crash landing'.
- Confusing with 'crash' alone, which implies total destruction.
- Omitting the hyphen: 'The pilot had to crash land.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Crash' implies a violent impact with destruction. 'Crash-land' is a specific aviation term where the pilot maintains some control with the intent to survive, though damage is likely.
No. The correct noun form is 'crash landing'. You perform a crash-land (verb) which results in a crash landing (noun).
No. The standard verb form is hyphenated. Omitting the hyphen ('crash land') is considered an error in careful writing.
They are largely synonymous, but 'crash-land' often implies more visible damage or a less controlled outcome than the more technical 'force-land' or 'emergency landing'.
To bring an aircraft to the ground in an uncontrolled, forced landing, typically involving significant damage, but intending to avoid catastrophic destruction.
Crash-land is usually informal to neutral; technical within aviation. in register.
Crash-land: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkræʃ lænd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkræʃ ˌlænd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “crash-land on someone's sofa (humorous: arrive unexpectedly to stay)”
- “crash-land in the market (business metaphor).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CRASHing sound as a plane LANDS violently. The hyphen is the point of impact.
Conceptual Metaphor
FAILURE IS A CRASH; AN ABRUPT END/ARRIVAL IS A FORCED LANDING.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best describes a 'crash-land'?