1
as in crept
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 dragged
to move slowly
the weekend traffic on the road to the beach just crawled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lingered
to move or act slowly
the deadline is fast approaching, so this is no time to crawl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crawled
The truck driver crawled to the side of the road and the gunman fled.
—
Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 26 May 2026
But Inglis kept losing partners to Punjab fast bowler Marco Jansen (2-33) and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (2-25) and Lucknow crawled to 196.
—ABC News, 23 May 2026
The children, a 10-year-old and two 14-year-olds who struggle with sensory issues, crawled through the back door and under the deck and waited until police came to escort them away.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2026
But out on the sweaty sidewalks, crowds clamored, craned and crawled all over each other for a glimpse – not of the action itself, but of a screen erected precisely for the purpose of bringing the basketball to people who couldn’t afford the historic ticket prices.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
The knuckle-curve crawled over the plate, just 77 miles per hour, and Salvador Perez redirected it 393 feet into the left-field stands.
—Sam McDowell May 19, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
Woods ultimately crawled out of the passenger side of his Land Rover after the crash.
—David K. Li, NBC news, 12 May 2026
When a Republican says something foolish, network anchors react like a gator just crawled into the studio wearing a MAGA hat.
—Larry Clifton, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 May 2026
The next day, steady rains caused the F1 Academy race to be cancelled and the first 20 laps of the Miami Grand Prix to be crawled behind the safety car.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 2 May 2026
Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 26 May 2026
But Inglis kept losing partners to Punjab fast bowler Marco Jansen (2-33) and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (2-25) and Lucknow crawled to 196.
—ABC News, 23 May 2026
The children, a 10-year-old and two 14-year-olds who struggle with sensory issues, crawled through the back door and under the deck and waited until police came to escort them away.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 20 May 2026
But out on the sweaty sidewalks, crowds clamored, craned and crawled all over each other for a glimpse – not of the action itself, but of a screen erected precisely for the purpose of bringing the basketball to people who couldn’t afford the historic ticket prices.
—Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 20 May 2026
The knuckle-curve crawled over the plate, just 77 miles per hour, and Salvador Perez redirected it 393 feet into the left-field stands.
—Sam McDowell May 19, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
Woods ultimately crawled out of the passenger side of his Land Rover after the crash.
—David K. Li, NBC news, 12 May 2026
When a Republican says something foolish, network anchors react like a gator just crawled into the studio wearing a MAGA hat.
—Larry Clifton, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 May 2026
The next day, steady rains caused the F1 Academy race to be cancelled and the first 20 laps of the Miami Grand Prix to be crawled behind the safety car.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 2 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crawled
Verb
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The Waffle House waitress said the building’s management was inattentive to a raft of deeper issues, from sewage backups that crept into her bathtub to mold and a malfunctioning air conditioning unit.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
27 May 2026
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At the other end of the spectrum, there were a number of clubs with lower possession numbers who crept into positions higher up the table.—
Jon Mackenzie,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Although Schwarze ultimately prevailed, the party’s divisions were on display as the endorsement battle dragged on through six ballots.—
Jay Gabler,
Twin Cities,
30 May 2026
-
But as his contentious divorce and custody battle against Jolie dragged on, reports emerged in 2021 that Maddox had testified in the case.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Admirers of Lean’s superb 1940s Dickens adaptations, Great Expectations and Oliver Twist, might wish Thompson had lingered longer over them.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2026
-
Kramer denied wrongdoing, but the damage to public trust has lingered.—
East Bay Times editorial,
Mercury News,
26 May 2026
Verb
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The area had been heavily bombarded in recent weeks, and an Israeli drone buzzed overhead, looping around the cleaved remains of nearby buildings.—
Euan Ward,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
-
Beto was close to unplayable up front, while James Garner and Dewsbury-Hall buzzed around in midfield.—
Patrick Boyland,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
Verb
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Brazier was on the other side of the gap and slid for a good enough touch to beat Prohaska.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
-
With the turf greased by his players, who had emptied their water bottles in anticipation, Glasner slid through the guard of honour on his belly to mimic his celebration after winning the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Verb
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While many of the brand’s lifestyle models are frequently shuffled in and out of production, the 9060 has held on as a staple of the brand’s lineup nearly four years after its retail debut.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
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He then was shuffled between immigration centers in California, Arizona and Louisiana — before landing in Equatorial Guinea almost six months ago.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
28 May 2026
Verb
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But in the wake of the Supreme Court decision, some state lawmakers and the governor delayed some of Alabama's House elections, although others were held on May 19 as scheduled.—
Oren Oppenheim,
ABC News,
26 May 2026
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Rent or mortgage payments could be delayed.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
Verb
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New York — In New York’s Hudson Valley, the artist Anicka Yi has erected columns bursting with mercurial microbial life, in hues of acid green and coffee, arranged like an archaeological dig at Storm King Art Center.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
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Kvaratskehlia’s father, Badri, a professional player himself, had countless footballs burst by its sharp metal.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crawled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crawled. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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