crawl 1 of 2

verb

ˈkrȯl How to pronounce crawl (audio)
Definition of crawlnext
1
as in to creep
to move slowly with the body close to the ground the time we had to crawl through a narrow passageway from one cave to another

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2
as in to drag
to move slowly the weekend traffic on the road to the beach just crawled

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to delay
to move or act slowly the deadline is fast approaching, so this is no time to crawl

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to burst
to be copiously supplied something must be up, as city hall is crawling with reporters

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

crawl

2 of 2

noun

as in delay

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crawl
Verb
Additionally, the platforms are designed to be crawled by the world's largest search engines right out of the box. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 16 Aug. 2026 The Dodgers had a chance to crawl closer with one out in the eighth, with Teoscar Hernández on third and Hunter Feduccia on first. — Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Noun
All these vehicles have seen showroom traffic slow to a crawl, so the automakers are scaling back or shelving their offerings in the segment (with the focus turning to smaller, more efficient vehicles that can be built and sold profitably). — Michael Harley, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows. — Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for crawl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crawl
  1. creep
  2. drag
  3. delay
  4. burst
  5. traffic
  6. snake
  7. poke
  8. linger
Verb
  • The song, from Jay-Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail, which some octogenarian readers may remember arriving three days early through an app for the first million Samsung Galaxy owners, had already begun to creep into the younger generation’s consciousness.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026
  • But when prices on everything from gas to groceries are steadily creeping upward, sticking to your plans for spending can feel like a losing battle.
    — Becca Stanek, TheWeek, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of creep
Verb
  • Pleitez would later tell police she was being confronted by Ahumada and others, who were assaulting her 20-year-old companion and attempting to drag him from the car.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • An agreement could provide momentum for talks to renew the USMCA North American trade pact; US-Mexico talks have dragged on, and the White House has publicly opposed renewing the transcontinental deal.
    — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of drag
Verb
  • An Iranian military official said that Qatar has been delaying a probe into the fate of three pilots, whom Iran says have been held there for months, according to state media.
    — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The opening of the Wynn Al Marjan Island has been delayed to September 2027.
    — Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of delay
Verb
  • The Briton burst onto the scene last season, and already has 19 professional wins — his Vuelta debut has been much anticipated as Visma search for Van Aert’s long-term replacement.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Pritzker celebrated the groundbreaking of several new data centers in Illinois before AI significantly burst onto the scene, including the opening of Meta’s data center in DeKalb in November 2023.
    — Ben Szalinski, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • Joseph Manjack caught a pair of passes for 27 yards on Denver’s opening drive of the third quarter, including an impressive grab over the middle in heavy traffic.
    — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The latest figures mark a slight improvement from the previous week, when traffic was just 4% of pre-war levels, according to the UKMTO.
    — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of traffic
Verb
  • The miniature shows the ride snaking around the Disneyland Monorail, and reveals a landscape that will fully transform the look and tone of California Adventure.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • At the Meijer gas station in Highland, several lines snaked through the parking lot and onto the main road on Wednesday.
    — Sara Machi, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of snake
Verb
  • Defender Kevin O'Toole poked the ball away, but Mboma Dem put away a sliding first-touch shot that opened the scoring in the 11th minute.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Somebody had taken a cosmic needle and poked holes in the dome so that the light could filter in.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of poke
Verb
  • As the train gains elevation, dense coastal forest gradually gives way to alpine tundra, glacial lakes, rocky peaks, and, early in the season, lingering snowfields before reaching the White Pass Summit at 2,885 feet.
    — Bailey Berg, Travel + Leisure, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The next chance of showers and storms arrives Thursday and lingers through the end of the workweek as much muggier-feeling weather blows back into Maryland.
    — Cutter Martin, CBS News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of linger

Phrases Containing crawl

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craving
crawl
crawled
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Cite this Entry

“Crawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crawl. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crawl

Nglish: Translation of crawl for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crawl

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