as in leisurely
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the crawling pace of the narrative is really frustrating
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in creeping
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
2
as in dragging
to move slowly
the weekend traffic on the road to the beach just crawled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in poking
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crawling
Adjective
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First popular as a leisurely racquet sport among the aristocracy of England, tennis players often wore long trousers, sporty knit vests and even neckties to dress for the sport.—
Brett F. Braley-Palko,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025 -
Moreover, the split season allowed leisurely hunting.—
Jack O'Connor,
Outdoor Life,
26 June 2025
Verb
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Invasive plants also spread quickly in multiple ways, such as by seeds, creeping stems and roots, or fruits eaten by birds and dropped elsewhere.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
5 Jan. 2025
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Another sign of creeping fatigue?—
Liam Twomey,
The Athletic,
5 Jan. 2025
Verb
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On Wednesday, March 19, the couple filmed an Instagram Reel poking fun at their recent red carpet interview with Extra at the grand re-opening of Planet Hollywood in NYC on Tuesday, March 11.—
Charna Flam,
People.com,
20 Mar. 2025
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Roots Growing Out Drainage Holes Roots poking out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot is a sure sign your plant needs a bigger pot.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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An intellectually dense film bursting with ideas, some of them contradictory, some troubling, all of them provocative.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
31 Dec. 2024
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At one point Harry Maguire tried to inject urgency, bursting forward with the ball and urging Alejandro Garnacho and Diogo Dalot to run ahead.—
Laurie Whitwell,
The Athletic,
31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The whales often appear unbothered, turning gently toward swimmers or drifting by in slow, graceful passes.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
5 July 2025
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Now, in the new study, researchers have gathered data that supports the theory that the demise of tropical forests, and their slow recovery, limited carbon sequestration – a process where carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and held in plants, soils or minerals.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
5 July 2025
Verb
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But the $12 billion decline in his fortune has more to do with asset shuffling than stock price movement.—
Julie Goldenberg,
Forbes,
21 Dec. 2024
-
James has been shuffling back and forth between the NBA and the G League.—
Benedict Cosgrove,
Newsweek,
19 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Street performers and buzzing crowds returned to Bourbon Street on Thursday after police reopened it hours before the Sugar Bowl, which was delayed a day and was expected to draw 70,000 fans to the nearby Superdome.—
Christopher Cann,
USA TODAY,
4 Jan. 2025
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From patient inquiries to administrative notifications, your inbox is probably constantly buzzing.—
Ajay Prasad,
Forbes,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The work was conducted in FIU’s battery lab — filled with flashing chargers, humming fans, pumps cycling the air, temperature controllers and other gear — has everything needed to make batteries from scratch.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
24 Mar. 2025
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And Yoshi put his arm around my shoulder, sinking a little further into the mattress, humming just under his breath.—
Bryan Washington,
The New Yorker,
23 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Crawling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crawling. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.
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