crew
21 synonyms and 0 antonyms for crew, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A group of people working together, especially those operating a ship, aircraft, or production.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use crew
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old French creue, "reinforcement, increase", from croistre, "to grow", from Latin crescere — originally meaning fresh troops sent to reinforce an army, later any team of workers.
Full origin of crew →Frequently asked questions
What does “crew” mean?
The word “crew” means a group of people working together, especially those operating a ship, aircraft, or production. In plain terms, a team working together, especially on a vessel or production, or informally a group of friends.
How do you pronounce “crew”?
“Crew” is pronounced kroo (/kɹu/ in IPA).
How do you use “crew” in a sentence?
Here is “crew” used in a sentence: “The film crew worked through the night to finish the scene.”
What is another word for “crew”?
Words with a similar meaning to “crew” include ship's company, all hands, complement, staff, stagehands and clique.
What part of speech is “crew”?
Depending on how it is used, “crew” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “crew” come from?
The word “crew” comes from Latin. From Old French creue, "reinforcement, increase", from croistre, "to grow", from Latin crescere — originally meaning fresh troops sent to reinforce an army, later any team of workers.
Is “crew” a common word?
“Crew” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “crew” have?
“Crew” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a group of people working together, especially those operating a ship, aircraft, or production.
What is the difference between a crew and a team?
Both are groups working together, but the emphasis differs. A team usually shares a common goal and works collaboratively, often in sport or business. A crew is defined by operating something specific, such as a ship, aircraft, or film set, with assigned roles. Every crew is a kind of team, but "crew" stresses the shared task of running an operation.
What is the difference between crew and staff?
Staff refers broadly to the people employed by an organisation, often in offices or service roles. Crew names a group carrying out a particular hands-on operation, such as sailing a ship, flying a plane, or making a film. Staff describes employment; crew describes the working unit performing a specific job.
What is an example of a crew?
A ship's crew operates the vessel; a flight crew runs the aircraft cabin and cockpit; a film crew handles cameras, lighting, and sound on set. The word also covers construction crews, road crews, and ground crews, any coordinated group carrying out a shared, practical task under organised roles.
What do you call the people who operate a ship?
Collectively they are the ship's crew, everyone aboard who works to run the vessel, from officers to deckhands. Individually they may be called crew members or hands. The captain leads them but, strictly speaking, commands the crew rather than being counted as one of its ordinary working members.