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\ ˈkrēk 
\
\creaked; creaking; creaks
Definition of creak
(Entry 1 of 2)
: 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
creak
nounDefinition of creak (Entry 2 of 2)
: a rasping or grating noise
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Synonyms & Antonyms for creak
Synonyms: Verb
Synonyms: Noun
Antonyms: Verb
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Examples of creak in a Sentence
Verb
The old floorboards creaked under our feet.
The porch roof creaked with the heavy weight of the snow. Noun
the creak of a floorboard
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Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Tesla claimed the structure began to creak and that panicked steelworkers came rushing out for fear of a deadly earthquake.
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Tim Grierson, Popular Mechanics, "Why Nikola Tesla Was Such a Badass Scientist," 11 Aug. 2020 Listening to belugas: In the Arctic, beluga whales chirp, whistle, and creak to communicate with each other.
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National Geographic, "Will travel improve after the virus subsides?," 21 July 2020 And if your knees creak from past injury or arthritis, try another exercise; running could worsen joint decay.
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Gretchen Reynolds, Health.com, "How Much Exercise Do You Need, and Which Type is Best for You?," 11 June 2020 The body creaked and flexed, and the hatch rattled regularly.
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Larry Griffin, Car and Driver, "Comparison Test: 1993 Toyota Supra Turbo Takes On the Best Sports Cars of the Early 1990s," 12 May 2020 Barges creaked and moaned in the distance as anchor-outs rowed to and from the shore, occasionally stopping to greet each other along the way.
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Joe Kloc, Harper's magazine, "Lost at Sea," 10 June 2019 As the state creaks under the strain of the coronavirus pandemic, officials worry the mafia may be preparing to step in.
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John Follain, Bloomberg.com, "Italy Risks Losing Grip in South With Fear of Looting, Riots," 20 May 2020 Our apartment’s dull brick walls changed to ones made of creaking stone.
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Elisabeth Thomas, refinery29.com, "I Wrote A Gothic Novel — Now Life Feels Like It Is One," 12 May 2020 On an early April Wednesday, as the pandemic was raging in New York City with reports of constant sirens, an open door to Ms. de Kooning’s former studio let in the sound of birds and tree branches creaking in the wind.
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Bob Morris, New York Times, "Alone With Their Muses, Artists in Retreat Wonder if It’s Too Much," 8 May 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun In both situations, these were able to block noise — even without music playing — from nearby tables, silverware falling and even the occasional creak of a door slowly opening.
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Benjamin Levin, CNN Underscored, "The best noise-canceling headphones of 2020," 21 Aug. 2020 As a set of waves rolls in, making the old pier creak, Prakash speculates that the line holding the trap must have been snapped in the surf, or broken off by sea lions.
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Emily Underwood, The Atlantic, "The Search for the World’s Simplest Animal," 8 June 2020 Play it at night, when every creak and thump from the overhead air ducts will scare the bejesus out of you.
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New York Times, "Some Alternatives for the Bored Gamer," 2 Apr. 2020 The creak of the floor, the open and close of a door.
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Martin Savidge, CNN, "Quarantined away from my family ... in the same house," 20 Mar. 2020 The creak of the tack and the warm vitality of the horse were profoundly familiar, even in this new place.
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Maggie Shipstead, Condé Nast Traveler, "In the Okavango Delta, Horseback Safaris Offer a Whole New Perspective," 11 Feb. 2020 Natalie Erika James' assured first feature demonstrates bracing command of atmospherics, from its tenebrous visuals and labyrinthine production design to its nerve-jangling use of music and a thick soundscape stew of bumps, creaks, thuds and groans.
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David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Relic': Film Review | Sundance 2020," 27 Jan. 2020 If heebie-jeebies are screeches and creaks, soft things are a major chord, resonant with well-being, reassurance, forgiveness, and even—what the hay—love.
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Virginia Heffernan, Wired, "The Unbearable Softness of Engineered Fabrics," 21 Jan. 2020 Eubank creates an instantly tense atmosphere, relying on shadows and creaks for horror that makes the audience feel as claustrophobic as the protagonists.
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Anne Cohen, refinery29.com, "Kristen Stewart Says She “Barely Survived” Making Her Latest Horror Movie," 10 Jan. 2020
See MoreThese 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.
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More Definitions for creak
creak
verbEnglish Language Learners Definition of creak
: to make a long, high sound : to make a sound like the sound made by an old door when it opens or closes
See the full definition for creak in the English Language Learners Dictionary
creak
verb\ ˈkrēk \
\creaked; creaking
Kids Definition of creak
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to make a long scraping or squeaking sound
The stairs creaked … with every step.— Astrid Lindgren, Pippi Longstocking
creak
nounKids Definition of creak (Entry 2 of 2)
: a long squeaking or scraping noise
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Time Traveler for creak
The first known use of creak was in 1583
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