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 ‘Burbs is a series that is playful, a little creepy, and powered by Palmer’s natural charisma. —Okla Jones, Essence, 1 Jan. 2026

After a prologue suggesting that creepy things were happening at a government lab, the pilot was mostly introducing viewers to a group of nerdy friends who would soon be joined by a mysterious telekinetic girl with short hair in Hawkins, Indiana, circa 1983. —Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 1 Jan. 2026

Vecna gets speared, the monster goes down, the creepy heart stops beating and everyone's alive! —Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025

Sally asks him in this creepy-sweet sorta way. —David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025

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