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

The Pied Piper here is a creepy mustachioed ice cream man (Ari Millen), who comes with an interesting backstory revealed in the final act. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026

The potential for creepy-crawlies doesn’t need to ruin the fun of bringing flowers home. — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 4 Aug. 2026

This bestselling line of classic creepy characters is yanked straight from your best memories of Halloween as a child. — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026

There’s also a creepy carnival, which is my favorite autumnal micro-trope (everyone say thank you, Ray Bradbury). — Hannah Whitten, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 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