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

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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
That’s because the moon began to crawl across it about half an hour ago. — IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2026 This year has both flown past and also crawled along at a snail’s pace. — Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2026
Noun
Amid this upheaval, the alliance’s momentum on hybrid warfare slowed to a crawl. — Julianne Smith, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2026 The summer crawl to the Hamptons is over for the year, but some eastbound traffic is not. — Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 15 Sep. 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
  • Then, for about half a mile, the crowd crept along Milwaukee Avenue onto West Diversey, ending at the Logan Square block where Delgado was slain last week.
    — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2026
  • As sound check ends in Atlanta, Nastanovich creeps toward the stage’s edge to survey his options for jumping off.
    — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of creep
Verb
  • Multiple videos show agents smash her car window, drag her out and carry her face down by her arms and legs through the street while handcuffed.
    — Beret Leone, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026
  • While the rest of Australia struggled with lockdown and tight regulations that dragged on, Queensland fared generally well, with looser rules and relatively low numbers of cases after the initial shutdowns.
    — Erin Florio, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of drag
Verb
  • The resort delayed its opening by a few days to allow for more snowmaking, and a few intermediate runs will be open beginning tomorrow.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Chicago Board of Elections spokesperson Julie Metea said final results are delayed because of a surge of 34,000 same-day voter registrations Tuesday.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of delay
Verb
  • The officials ruled the run didn't count, and Perine took the next handoff from Joe Burrow and burst through for a 14-yard gain before the Bengals went into victory formation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Garrett burst off the line at the snap and sacked Daniels for a 12-yard loss.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • Vision Zero dollars go toward traffic calming and mobility improvements.
    — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2026
  • The deputy's statement of facts indicated Chen is an Apple employee and reasonably would have known that Tantau Avenue at noon on a weekday is busy with vehicle, bicycle and pedestrian traffic.
    — Senior Editor, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of traffic
Verb
  • Accompanying 48-hour pop-ups took place in October at two of Ulta Beauty’s LA outposts — Santa Monica and Westwood — resulting in snaking queues and surpassing sales targets by more than 62%, according to Miller.
    — Ella Graveney, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2026
  • London installed granite rumble strips in Hyde Park, raised crosswalks across bike lanes at bus stops, and ran snaking paths through Van Gogh Walk in Brixton.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of snake
Verb
  • On the other, the black sand slopes downward into darkness, garden eels poking cautiously from burrows before instantly retreating at the slightest movement.
    — Avantika Chaturvedi, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2026
  • But Miami broke through in the third quarter when Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore went to the bench after being poked in the eye, according to the NBC broadcast.
    — Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of poke
Verb
  • The result is a thick haze that can linger over the capital and surrounding areas for days.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The results raised long-standing concerns over the quality of work and whether the lingering contamination could present risks to the residents.
    — Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crawl

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crawl

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