creepy

adjective

ˈkrē-pē 

creepier; creepiest

1

: producing a nervous shivery apprehension

a creepy horror story

also : eerie

2

: of, relating to, or being a creep : annoyingly unpleasant

a creepy old man

creepily

ˈkrē-pə-lē 

adverb

creepiness

ˈkrē-pē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of creepy

• eerie
• haunting

Examples of creepy in a Sentence

There's something creepy about that guy.

a fascinating but creepy stage show by an offbeat magician

Recent Examples on the Web

After a creepy launch video followed by wowing us with backflips and dance moves, Boston Dynamics has finally gotten down to business. —New Atlas, 10 Jan. 2026

For roughly 25 years, Fear Factor has tested gag reflexes and amplified fears of snakes, spiders, and all manner of creepy-crawlies. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026

Maybe this skin-crawler is a creepy, allegorical drama about delusional paranoia. —Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026

The film follows Evy, played by Nina Kiri (The Handmaid’s Tale), who is the skeptical host of a creepy podcast that receives audio files of a married couple being haunted. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see creep entry 1

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing creepy

• creepy crawler
• creepy-crawly

Rhymes for creepy

• sleepy
• praecipe
• principe

Kids Definition

creepy

adjective

ˈkrē-pē 

creepier; creepiest

: having or producing a sensation as of insects creeping on the skin

especially : eerie

creepily

-pə-lē 

adverb

creepiness noun