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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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
The Germans were crawling as far as the street, dashing across the asphalt, then leaping into the second trench. — Vasily Grossman, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 Jude Cornell joined a swarm of toddlers crawling after soccer balls, tossing training cones into the air and relocating a goalie net that was proving to be very, very portable. — ABC News, 30 June 2026
Noun
If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows. — Ca Earthquake Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 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
  • On a moonless night, that Alpha team crept silently from the statue’s belly and wrenched open the gates of Troy, decisively ending the war in their favor.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 15 July 2026
  • They’re concentrated in the Southeast, but lone star ticks have been making their way north and creeping in from the coasts.
    — Meg Tirrell, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
Definition of creep
Verb
  • The untethered AUVs hover above the seabed instead of dragging equipment across it, reducing sediment disturbance and limiting ecosystem disruption.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 July 2026
  • Overall, the plan is on par with a request the White House submitted to Congress last month, as the Iran war drags past four months.
    — Kevin Freking, Fortune, 15 July 2026
Definition of drag
Verb
  • Evan Longoria was inducted into the Rays Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony, which delayed the first pitch by 25 minutes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026
  • Rayfield also asked a state circuit court judge to delay the closing of the deal by 60 days so that his office could review the documents.
    — Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 11 July 2026
Definition of delay
Verb
  • Reservoirs were breached or burst after Tropical Storm Maysak hit Guangxi, sending torrents of water into towns and cities.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 July 2026
  • As other reviewers have also noted, sound quality is superb on the GA lawn, which was full to bursting with blankets and rentable lawn chairs.
    — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 7 July 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • Here's your daily look at traffic on major highways in the Kansas City area.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 11 July 2026
  • Jason Melara ran out of the hospital and jogged through traffic on Culver Boulevard with two men, whom police later identified as Daymonee Johnson and Mahki Taylor.
    — Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
Definition of traffic
Verb
  • Singer-songwriter and guitarist Nick DiSalvo’s plaintive vocals and snaking riffs can gently suggest thoughtful indie rock or tense up to show off more doom-adjacent roots.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 8 July 2026
  • Food trucks reopened after the storm and long lines snaked around the vendor area.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026
Definition of snake
Verb
  • The surgeons used forceps to grab at a loop that was poking into view and then needed multiple tugs to gently slide out the rest.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 July 2026
  • Social media video showed snakes poking their heads above the muddy water inundating the village.
    — Sylvie Zhuang, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
Definition of poke
Verb
  • FireSat will help incident commanders get better information more quickly, and, unlike fire-spotting aircraft, the satellites can linger over a fire for days or weeks and aren’t hampered by high winds or smoke.
    — Eric Niiler, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • The severe weather threat will linger for parts of the mid-Atlantic on Sunday, stretching from northern Virginia into southern New Jersey, with cities like Richmond, DC, Baltimore and Philly in the threat zone once again.
    — Jon Haworth, ABC News, 5 July 2026
Definition of linger

Phrases Containing crawl

Browse Nearby Words

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 16 Jul. 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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