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
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 crawling
Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 11 June 2026
He was found on Thursday morning, crawling towards Base Camp, and airlifted to Kathmandu, where doctors are treating him for frostbite, severe dehydration and a fractured thigh bone.
—CBS News, 10 June 2026
Removing the lowest leaves can reduce the risk of these problems and keep some pests from crawling onto your plants.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 9 June 2026
Ötzi the Iceman, Europe’s most famous mummy, is crawling with microbes, some long dead, some still eking out a living after thousands of years, and some very modern.
—ArsTechnica, 6 June 2026
The Thursday night group was seen leaving about three hours afterward, according to the NYPD, while the second odd circumstance ended after individuals were seen crawling out and leaving in a vehicle more than two and a half hours after.
—Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 4 June 2026
The next day, with water levels having dropped inside the cave, the remaining four men caught rescuers by surprise, crawling out on their own just as divers were getting ready to go in and get them.
—Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC news, 4 June 2026
That changed on Thursday, June 4, when he was seen slowly crawling down the snowy mountainside to Base Camp by a cleaning crew, the BBC reported.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
Toddlers and babies spend their days at floor level, crawling through dust, putting hands and objects in their mouths, and breathing air closer to the ground than anyone else.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 3 June 2026
Verb
Wrigley Field West, aka Coors Field, was crawling with Cubs fans on Tuesday night.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 11 June 2026
He was found on Thursday morning, crawling towards Base Camp, and airlifted to Kathmandu, where doctors are treating him for frostbite, severe dehydration and a fractured thigh bone.
—CBS News, 10 June 2026
Removing the lowest leaves can reduce the risk of these problems and keep some pests from crawling onto your plants.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 9 June 2026
Ötzi the Iceman, Europe’s most famous mummy, is crawling with microbes, some long dead, some still eking out a living after thousands of years, and some very modern.
—ArsTechnica, 6 June 2026
The Thursday night group was seen leaving about three hours afterward, according to the NYPD, while the second odd circumstance ended after individuals were seen crawling out and leaving in a vehicle more than two and a half hours after.
—Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 4 June 2026
The next day, with water levels having dropped inside the cave, the remaining four men caught rescuers by surprise, crawling out on their own just as divers were getting ready to go in and get them.
—Janis MacKey Frayer, NBC news, 4 June 2026
That changed on Thursday, June 4, when he was seen slowly crawling down the snowy mountainside to Base Camp by a cleaning crew, the BBC reported.
—Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026
Toddlers and babies spend their days at floor level, crawling through dust, putting hands and objects in their mouths, and breathing air closer to the ground than anyone else.
—Angela Haupt, Time, 3 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crawling
Adjective
-
The long days of summer feel designed for leisurely train travel, journeys that unfold at an unhurried pace and encourage travelers to settle in and enjoy the passing scenery.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
4 June 2026
-
For dads who enjoy leisurely rides, local exploration, and timeless design, the Ranger delivers a combination of style and range that is difficult to find at its price point.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
The vote comes as communities around the country debate how to handle increasingly large data centers creeping into populated areas.—
Mary Ramsey
Updated June 8,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
-
With summer finally creeping into New England, the humidity was high and the rain was occasionally intense.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Tech had a rough Tuesday, dragging the S&P and Nasdaq lower.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Part of Cantoni’s job is to collect ticks from around the state through a process called dragging.—
Allison Gollenberg,
Hartford Courant,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
In partnership with Underdog, a popular daily fantasy sports (DFS) and pick'em betting platform, Brooks revealed a one-of-a-kind board game poking fun at SGA.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
22 May 2026
-
Plenty of skilled directors can manipulate tension and fear while still poking us toward nervous laughter.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Dishes use local produce but combine them with Asian ingredients for a light meal that’s bursting with flavors.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 June 2026
-
But with Skydance’s reputation for quality game titles and Paramount’s vast library, there’s potential to carve out a space in a market that’s crowded to the point of bursting.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Recovery of the bodies has been slow because of the chemicals and other hazards present at the site, Amos explained.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
-
One of the most painful things about this disease is knowing that promising treatments are emerging, but funding barriers and manufacturing and procedural slow-downs continue to derail progress.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
The main event, though, is the ski room—where ski butlers furnish guests with state-of-the-art skis before sliding them onto the slicked Jardin Alpin piste with or without an instructor.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
-
Kleven had been an accomplished ski jumper in his home country, and when he was spotted sliding down and flying off ramps in Sugarbush, Vermont, he was recruited to be a stunt performer.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Nilles reportedly learned 40 songs for the tour, so expect some setlist shuffling each date.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
Having gone into hiding, Walt ultimately manages to make some things right before shuffling off the mortal coil.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crawling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crawling. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
