creak

verb \ ˈkrēk \

|Updated on: 7 Aug 2018

Definition of creak

creaked; creaking; creaks

: to make a prolonged grating or squeaking sound often as a result of being worn-out; also : to proceed slowly with or as if with creaking wheels

the story creaks along to a dull conclusion

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Examples of creak in a Sentence

The old floorboards creaked under our feet.
The porch roof creaked with the heavy weight of the snow.

Recent Examples of creak from the Web

Going back to the early 1980s, Clinton as a young governor was showing his determination to fix the abundant problems in a welfare system creaking with age, inefficiency, and perverse incentives.

— neil swidey, BostonGlobe.com, "How Democrats would be better off if Bill Clinton had never been president," 10 July 2018
Miami's interest in Melo finds a team aware of its middling situation trying to find a bridge to relevance, any bridge, even a temporary one, even one that is creaking a bit.

— greg cote, miamiherald, "Melo to Miami? How Heat’s interest in Carmelo Anthony reveals one team’s desperation," 11 July 2018
However, some experts say updating North Korean trains, which creak slowly along rails that were first laid in the early 20th century, would require a massive effort that could take decades and tens of billions of dollars.

— Washington Post, "Koreas agree to improve North Korea’s railways," 26 June 2018
Infrastructure is creaking and public transport is dilapidated.

— The Economist, "Israel at 70," 17 May 2018
Mbappe was a constant threat to Argentina's creaking defense with his speed and skill and was at the heart of France's often-breathtaking display, particularly in the middle of the second half.

— pan pylas, Houston Chronicle, "Kylian Mbappé, not Lionel Messi, stars as France beats Argentina in World Cup," 30 June 2018
Mbappe was a constant threat to Argentina's creaking defense with his speed and skill and was at the heart of France's often-breathtaking display, particularly in the middle of the second half.

— pan pylas, Fox News, "Mbappe, not Messi, stars as France beats Argentina 4-3," 30 June 2018
Hearing the argument, Rick crept out of bed, creaked open the bedroom door, and peeked into the living room.

— erika andersen, Good Housekeeping, "The Only Reason My Husband Survived Abuse and Poverty As a Child: His Faith in God," 26 June 2018
The new short film, set to fill your nightmare quota for the next few sleeps, has been teased over on Instagram’s new video platform IGTV, and is set to a soundtrack of eerie whistling, quiet water splashes, and creaking chairs.

— lucy wood, Marie Claire, "You Can Thank Selena Gomez's New Short Horror Film for Your Next Nightmare," 22 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'creak.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.