crowd surfing: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal
Quick answer
What does “crowd surfing” mean?
A physical activity, typically at a concert or festival, in which a person is passed overhead by the audience.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A physical activity, typically at a concert or festival, in which a person is passed overhead by the audience.
To engage in or be carried by a crowd in this manner; metaphorically, the act of being propelled forward by popular support or energy.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling and hyphenation are identical. 'Moshing' is a related, sometimes co-occurring activity.
Connotations
Associated with rock, metal, punk, and festival culture. Can imply youthful energy or reckless abandon.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties in relevant contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “crowd surfing” in a Sentence
[Subject] did some crowd surfing.[Subject] was crowd surfing.There was a lot of crowd surfing.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “crowd surfing” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He crowd-surfed all the way to the barrier.
- I've never crowd-surfed before.
American English
- She crowd-surfed during the encore.
- They warned us not to crowd-surf.
adverb
British English
- He moved crowd-surfingly through the packed hall. (rare, non-standard)
American English
- She got to the front crowd-surfingly. (rare, non-standard)
adjective
British English
- A crowd-surfing enthusiast.
- The crowd-surfing incident was caught on camera.
American English
- Crowd-surfing injuries are common.
- He had a crowd-surfing moment to remember.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; metaphorical use possible: 'The product is crowd-surfing on a wave of positive reviews.'
Academic
Only in cultural studies, sociology, or musicology contexts describing concert behavior.
Everyday
Used when describing music events or festivals.
Technical
Used in event safety manuals and security briefings.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “crowd surfing”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “crowd surfing”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “crowd surfing”
- Using it as a single unhyphenated word ('crowdsurfing') in formal writing. Confusing it with 'stage diving' (jumping *off* the stage).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is not inherently illegal but is often prohibited by venue or event rules for safety reasons.
Stage diving is jumping from the stage into the audience. Crowd surfing is being passed overhead *across* the audience, often starting from within the crowd or after a stage dive.
It is widely believed to have originated in the hardcore punk scene of the early 1980s in the United States.
No, it is generally only feasible and accepted at high-energy concerts (e.g., rock, metal, punk, some electronic music) with a dense, standing audience.
A physical activity, typically at a concert or festival, in which a person is passed overhead by the audience.
Crowd surfing is usually informal in register.
Crowd surfing: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkraʊd ˌsɜːfɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkraʊd ˌsɜːrfɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “ride the crowd”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine surfing, but instead of water, you're on a sea of people.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE AUDIENCE IS A SUPPORTIVE SEA / POPULAR MOMENTUM IS PHYSICAL SUPPORT
Practice
Quiz
What is a primary safety concern associated with crowd surfing?