variants
or creepy crawly
or less commonly creepy crawler
or creepy-crawler
plural creepy-crawlies or creepy crawlies also creepy crawlers or creepy-crawlers
informal
: an organism (such as a spider, beetle, or cockroach) that typically crawls along close to or on the ground and is often considered unwanted or unpleasant
… despite … repeated, aggressive spraying of his apartment's every recess, the silverfish, centipedes and assorted creepy-crawlies that lived in them all continued to thrive and multiply.—
Richard Russo
Richard RussoVeronica wasn't afraid of the creepy crawly, she was afraid of somehow harming it.—Doug MacCash
Doug MacCashHe looked as if he'd turned over a stone and found creepy-crawlies underneath.—Dick Francis
Dick Francis… gardeners and community members are coming across a creepy crawler now more than ever thanks to the Atlantic storm season. According to Virginia Tech, storms in the Atlantic have pushed fall armyworms … north into Virginia.—Jazmine Otey
Jazmine Otey
variants
or less commonly creepy crawly
1
: of, relating to, or being a creepy-crawly
creepy-crawly spiders
Springtime means creepy-crawly season, but that doesn't mean we have to take the insect invasion lying down.—Kurt Bresswein
Kurt BressweinThe Piney Run Park & Nature Center also contributed creepy crawly critters to the recreation day.—Thomas Goodwin Smith
Thomas Goodwin Smith2
: causing an uncomfortable or distressing sensation : giving someone the creeps (see creep entry 2 sense 2)
creepy-crawly music
… what if you're locked in the mall in the creepy-crawly dark tonight?—Lauren Terry
Lauren TerryIn this neurological condition, you experience uncomfortable creepy-crawly feelings in the legs and sometimes arms …—Andrew Weil
Andrew WeilExamples of creepy-crawly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Helena Wegner, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
The black creepy-crawly stands out against the orange to spook visitors of all ages.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025
Sorry to that weird hanging plant with a tongue, the acid-spewing flies, and the creepy-crawly super-ticks, but that monster is the Eyeball.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
Soon, mold coats her meals, and a creepy-crawly escapes from a dining guest’s dish.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2024
The creepy-crawly Face-huggers latch onto human faces and inject the hosts with alien babies.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 15 Aug. 2024
The creepy-crawly creatures measure approximately 1.5 inches long, and have a life span of one to three years.
—Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 28 May 2024
In what appears to be a dream, a creepy-crawly form is seen moving under the skin of Jakub’s face, its pedipalps first making an abortive attempt to exit via his nostrils before a sizeable spider emerges from his mouth.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2024
The air conditioning system is out of date, the bathrooms are cramped, and the occasional creepy-crawly has been known to drop by unannounced.
—Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 11 Dec. 2023
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Noun
Dunkin’ is celebrating Halloween early this year with a new seasonal drink and a creepy-crawly doughnut.
—Helena Wegner, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2025
The black creepy-crawly stands out against the orange to spook visitors of all ages.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025
Sorry to that weird hanging plant with a tongue, the acid-spewing flies, and the creepy-crawly super-ticks, but that monster is the Eyeball.
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
Soon, mold coats her meals, and a creepy-crawly escapes from a dining guest’s dish.
—Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2024
The creepy-crawly Face-huggers latch onto human faces and inject the hosts with alien babies.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 15 Aug. 2024
The creepy-crawly creatures measure approximately 1.5 inches long, and have a life span of one to three years.
—Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 28 May 2024
In what appears to be a dream, a creepy-crawly form is seen moving under the skin of Jakub’s face, its pedipalps first making an abortive attempt to exit via his nostrils before a sizeable spider emerges from his mouth.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2024
The air conditioning system is out of date, the bathrooms are cramped, and the occasional creepy-crawly has been known to drop by unannounced.
—Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 11 Dec. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Creepy-crawly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/creepy-crawly. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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