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
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Recent Examples of crawling
Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
An 18-month-old child sustained minor injuries after crawling under a fence at Zoo America in Pennsylvania and approaching a wolf enclosure.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 6 Apr. 2026
The kitchen of the restaurant is crawling with maggots, the damp eats away at the tatami mats and wallpaper decorated with a design of a forest landscape.
—Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Of the five live roaches spotted, one was crawling on a handwash sink inside the kitchen and two ducked under a coffee machine nearby.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
The situation was finally resolved when a wildlife response team used an unconventional method, crawling under the house and firing paintballs filled with vegetable oil to drive the bear out.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
According to a study published today in Scientific Reports, the tiny shellear fish (Parakneria thysi) will spend hours crawling up a waterfall’s cliffside to reach better habitats.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2026
And this place was crawling with worms, though not ones that would actually crawl, given that their posteriors were structured to attach to a surface.
—ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2026
Until Isaacman’s program makeover, Artemis III was crawling toward a moon landing no sooner than 2029.
—Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
The town was crawling with boy band members, Mickey Mouse Clubbers and future Disney Channel stars.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
An 18-month-old child sustained minor injuries after crawling under a fence at Zoo America in Pennsylvania and approaching a wolf enclosure.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 6 Apr. 2026
The kitchen of the restaurant is crawling with maggots, the damp eats away at the tatami mats and wallpaper decorated with a design of a forest landscape.
—Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 6 Apr. 2026
Of the five live roaches spotted, one was crawling on a handwash sink inside the kitchen and two ducked under a coffee machine nearby.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
The situation was finally resolved when a wildlife response team used an unconventional method, crawling under the house and firing paintballs filled with vegetable oil to drive the bear out.
—Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026
According to a study published today in Scientific Reports, the tiny shellear fish (Parakneria thysi) will spend hours crawling up a waterfall’s cliffside to reach better habitats.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2026
And this place was crawling with worms, though not ones that would actually crawl, given that their posteriors were structured to attach to a surface.
—ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2026
Until Isaacman’s program makeover, Artemis III was crawling toward a moon landing no sooner than 2029.
—Marcia Dunn, Chicago Tribune, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crawling
Adjective
-
The Lounge remains a favorite for leisurely breakfasts and afternoon tea.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
-
If all goes according to plan, its protective heat shield and a sequence of massive parachutes will ensure that the capsule—and the four astronauts inside—will land with a gentle splash in the Pacific Ocean at a leisurely 17 miles per hour.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Scientists knew it was triggered by the real world creeping in, but the exact microscopic cause remained out of reach.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Apr. 2026
-
There are few things more on trend than grass-alternative lawns right now; between wanting something lower maintenance and lower cost, different options like clover, chamomile, and creeping thyme are looking much more appealing to the average homeowner.—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Two days later, Gomes Akay was seen dragging a large suitcase that appeared to be overfilled from the hotel.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Gomes Akay was seen two days later dragging a large suitcase from the hotel.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The one-piece suit is designed with a twist-front V-neckline that enhances the bust with a structured lift — but without the discomfort of a poking underwire.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The mountains poking above the ridge at the far end of the lake are crowned by the three peaks of Mount Triglav — Slovenia’s highest peak and national symbol.—
Tribune Content Agency,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
No, the club's horticulture staff does not pack them in ice to keep the blooms from bursting before the Masters.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
In a quintet of fine performances, his stands out in this moment so removed from when Becky Shaw debuted (2008 was not bursting at the seams with essays on our crisis of masculinity).—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Or maybe this was a slow roll, meant to culminate with the two All-Stars crescendoing into the playoff push.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Feed Forever Goldy® Arborvitae annually in early spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Hydroplaning happens when a vehicle starts sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Two batters later, Tucker made a sliding catch on a short fly ball that threatened to touch down in no-man’s land.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This is where the city stages its daily open-air show — street artists sketching portraits, fortune-tellers shuffling cards and musicians playing for appreciative crowds.—
Lauren Schuster,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Its elegant twill pattern is both durable for rigorous travel and premium-looking for serving looks at the airport, while its interior has an expandable compartment, one mesh pocket, and elastic tie-down straps to keep your belongings from shuffling around.—
Julia Morlino,
Travel + Leisure,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crawling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crawling. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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