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

There were minor changes — more large spiders and other creepy critters were added to one foreboding tunnel — but also some substantial ones designed to increase the attraction’s capacity and reliability. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Officers checked the surrounding neighborhood but were unable to find the mysterious and somewhat creepy character. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Oct. 2026

But taking a thrill-seeking trip for a good scare doesn’t mean your accommodations have to be creepy, too. — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 20 Oct. 2026

As her son Rauri, Murphy plays a creepy, brooding university dropout whom audiences also can’t help sympathize with. — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 18 Oct. 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
• 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