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Definition of creep
crept
play \ˈkrept\;creeping
intransitive verb
1a : to move along with the body prone and close to the ground A spider was creeping along the bathroom floor.b : to move slowly on hands and knees He crept toward the edge of the cliff.
2a : to go very slowly The hours crept by.b : to go timidly or cautiously so as to escape notice She crept away from the festive scene.c : to enter or advance gradually so as to be almost unnoticed Age creeps up on us. A note of irritation crept into her voice.
3 : to have the sensation of being covered with creeping things The thought made his flesh creep.
4 of a plant : to spread or grow over a surface rooting at intervals or clinging with tendrils, stems, or aerial roots
5a : to slip or gradually shift position The high temperatures of the jet engine cause the turbine blade to creep.b : to change shape permanently from prolonged stress or exposure to high temperatures
Explore Merriam-Webster
Examples of creep in a Sentence
She crept toward the edge of the roof and looked over.
I caught him creeping down the stairs to the kitchen.
She crept into bed next to her sleeping husband.
The hours crept by as we waited for morning.
a train creeping through the town
The price of gasoline has crept back up to three dollars a gallon.
A few mistakes crept in during the last revision of the paper.
new words creeping into the language
Recent Examples of creep from the Web
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Some of the ice walls spewed milky waterfalls as the behemoths slowly melted and crept inexorably toward their demise in the frigid ocean water.
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Andrew Henderson/Courier-Journal The Louisville Loop around the city creeps ever closer to completion, though the finish line is still years off.
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Payday loan stores had crept onto Main Street, once a bustling retail district.
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The opioid epidemic has been creeping in, and some residents fear going outside after dark in parts of town.
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Drought has always brought despair, and thunder fear, and unusual weather a creeping sense that the world is out of joint.
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As leaders craft messages from the pulpit, their partisan views may creep in.
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Eventually a feeling of wistfulness crept into my days.
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The peculiar walk-off ended a dramatic, back-and-forth affair that lasted three hours and 41 minutes and nearly crept past midnight.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'creep'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of creep
Middle English crepen, from Old English crēopan; akin to Old Norse krjūpa to creep
creep
Definition of creep
1 : a movement of or like creeping traffic moving at a creep
2 : a distressing sensation like that caused by the creeping of insects over one's flesh; especially : a feeling of apprehension or horror —usually used in plural with the That gives me the creeps.
3 : a feed trough accessible only by young animals and used especially to supply special or supplementary feed —called also creep feeder
4 : the slow change of dimensions of an object from prolonged exposure to high temperature or stress
5 : an unpleasant or obnoxious person
6 : a slow but persistent increase or elevation This political inertia … makes budget creep inevitable. — The Wall Street Journal
Examples of creep in a Sentence
I get the creeps every time he walks by.
I hate snakes. They give me the creeps.
That guy gives me the creeps.
Recent Examples of creep from the Web
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That bit of mission creep is complicating things for the GOP, and could lead to deadlock.
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The combination of the non-gearbox and the torquey engine also created some surging at low speeds; there’s little idle creep and the car tends to lunge as soon as the throttle is pressed.
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The tentacles into creepy Florida gambling society and the desperate creeps staying a few steps ahead of the law make this a great summer read.
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But of course those two sides were entwined, like Ginger and the creep who beat her.
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Armed with snake tongs and 5-gallon buckets, the group taking to the field last month is part of a 30-year quest by CWU biologist Dan Beck to uncover the secrets of a creature that gives most people the creeps.
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Frank leered in on Doug and LeAnn’s hook up, which may have been a bid by her for renewed access to the White House or may have just indicated her crush on D.C.’s biggest creep.
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The 2016 GAO report congratulated NASA for slowing budget creep in recent years, but attributed it only in part to new project management tools, with the rest of the credit going to rising baseline estimates that hide percentage-wise growth.
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Lyft and Uber would be doomed if the cars stunk and the drivers were creeps.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'creep'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of creep
see 1creep
CREEP Defined for English Language Learners
creep
playDefinition of creep for English Language Learners
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: to move slowly with the body close to the ground
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: to move slowly and quietly especially in order to not be noticed
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: to go or seem to go very slowly
creep
Definition of creep for English Language Learners
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: a strange person who you strongly dislike
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the creeps : an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or fear
CREEP Defined for Kids
Definition of creep for Students
crept
\ˈkrept\;creeping
1 : to move along with the body close to the ground or floor : move slowly on hands and knees : crawl
2 : to move or advance slowly, timidly, or quietly Moving quietly, I crept halfway down the stairs and listened. — Avi, Crispin
3 : to grow or spread along the ground or along a surface Ivy was creeping up a wall.
Definition of creep for Students
1 : a strange or unlikable person
2 : a slow, timid, or quiet movement
3 : a feeling of nervousness or fear —usually used in pl. Spiders give me the creeps.
Learn More about creep
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See words that rhyme with creep Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for creep Spanish Central: Translation of creep Nglish: Translation of creep for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of creep for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about creep
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