Learn English – semantic difference between “fold the arms” and “cross the arms”

word-difference

Is there any semantic difference between those two sentences? I've seen both used in works of fiction recently, but I'm not sure if there's some difference.

She folded her arms.

She crossed her arms.

Best Answer

When using the terms without other context:

She crossed her arms.

She folded her arms.

To my [Southern US] ear, there is no strong semantic difference, although there is a slight difference in feeling. "Crossed" conveys slightly more tension, while folded sounds slightly more relaxed. Both sentences describe the same posture.

If there is more to the phrase, as in

She crossed her arms behind her back.

then a different posture is described and the equivalence breaks down. I can cross my arms behind my back, but I don't think I can fold them back there.