crawly

1 of 2

adjective

ˈkrȯ-lē 

crawlier; crawliest

1

: marked by crawling or slow motion

There were some long, crawly lines of traffic …

—Al Dunning

especially : of, relating to, or being an organism (such as a spider, worm, or beetle) that typically crawls along close to or on the ground

[Karen] Johnson, 38, is an artist who specializes in the depiction of insect life, and she concedes that her passion for six-legged crawly creatures requires an understanding family.

—F. N. D'Alessio

[Forensic entomologist] T.R. Adkins says investigators sometimes overlook, or even destroy, the crawly evidence he needs to help solve a crime.

—Anne Underwood

I'm no fan of the crawly things that trace the walls and bushes outside my home, all waiting for the opportunity to hop, slither and otherwise creep inside.

—Anthony Colarossi

2

: causing nervous or spine-chilling apprehension : creepy sense 1

Pretentious as living in a castle might sound, it's absolutely in keeping with [actor Nicholas] Cage's crawly, gothic, Tim Burton-esque worldview.

—Lucy Kaylin

crawly

2 of 2

noun

plural crawlies

: an organism (such as an insect or spider) that typically crawls along close to or on the ground

—usually used in plural

But for those who aren't bothered that much by spiders and other crawlies, the display of Backyard Monsters might be just the thing to perk up a fall day.

—Lynn Edge

Two years ago, I got my first pair of rain/garden boots. … They keep my jeans tucked in tight, protect my ankles and bare legs against crawlies, and have spared me outbreaks of chiggers and other invasive Piney woods bugs.

—Terri Lacher

[Richard A.] Bradley is hoping even more Ohioans share his passion for eight-legged crawlies. The zoology professor … is seeking volunteers to participate in the Ohio Spider Survey.

—Janice Posada

see also creepy-crawly entry 1

Examples of crawly in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

As in Freud, the footnote operates as repressed content, surfacing the crawly world around us (and sometimes inside us) that makes our own go. —Hannah Brooks-Motl june 2, Literary Hub, 2 June 2025

These suckers are creepy, crawly and sufficiently spooky. —Mike Deehan, Axios, 26 Sep. 2024

Noun

Spider Found Hiding in Woman's Ear By Jess Thomson Science Reporter 0 In something straight out of a horror movie, a woman found a creepy crawly lurking inside her ear after losing her hearing. —Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025

Don your favorite costume and enjoy a fall festival loaded with a treat trail, spooky games, enchanting performances, a stilt walker, inflatables, a creepy crawly gooey zone, a lil ghouls corral and a bike circus. —Brittany Delay, The Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

crawl entry 1 + -y entry 1

Noun

derivative of crawly entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1849, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Noun

1909, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing crawly

• creepy crawly

Rhymes for crawly

• colley
• collie
• dolly
• folly
• golly
• holly
• jolley
• jolly
• lolly
• mollie
• molly
• ollie