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
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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
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Recent Examples of crawling
James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Feb. 2026
Another initiative involves designing specialized robots (not humanoid) capable of crawling through mud and water to clear underground tunnels.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026
Reddick said his son Rookie also started crawling this weekend.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
To save energy and prevent overheating, there’s a handy power button on top to easily turn the system on and off without crawling beneath your desk to access the wall outlet.
—Kelsey Borovinsky, Architectural Digest, 9 Feb. 2026
Our March trip coincided with the birthing season, and as a result the place was crawling with baby animals.
—Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
Video captured from a rescue chopper hovering above Jamaica Bay showed the NYPD’s frogmen in action, with multiple divers crawling across the ice and plunging into the frigid waters to attach the victims to tethers, before the helicopters airlifted them to safety.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
As for the living, one was crawling on a white rice container.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
In the video posted on social media, a woman standing on a chair removes her sneaker and throws it across the room at a child crawling on the ground.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Verb
At 5 feet 6 inches tall, the then-20-year-old Angeleno was considered short for industry standards, but that didn't stop her from edging out frontrunners Yaya DaCosta and Amanda Swafford at the finale in Japan — or from taking bold risks, like posing with a tarantula crawling across her face.
—James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Feb. 2026
Another initiative involves designing specialized robots (not humanoid) capable of crawling through mud and water to clear underground tunnels.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026
Reddick said his son Rookie also started crawling this weekend.
—ABC News, 16 Feb. 2026
To save energy and prevent overheating, there’s a handy power button on top to easily turn the system on and off without crawling beneath your desk to access the wall outlet.
—Kelsey Borovinsky, Architectural Digest, 9 Feb. 2026
Our March trip coincided with the birthing season, and as a result the place was crawling with baby animals.
—Flora Stubbs, Travel + Leisure, 7 Feb. 2026
Video captured from a rescue chopper hovering above Jamaica Bay showed the NYPD’s frogmen in action, with multiple divers crawling across the ice and plunging into the frigid waters to attach the victims to tethers, before the helicopters airlifted them to safety.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 7 Feb. 2026
As for the living, one was crawling on a white rice container.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
In the video posted on social media, a woman standing on a chair removes her sneaker and throws it across the room at a child crawling on the ground.
—Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crawling
Adjective
-
In the heart of it all, the open-air Art Park is a destination in itself, ideal for leisurely walks, bike rides, or a picnic lunch on the grass.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
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Keep your eyes out for destinations that allow for leisurely boat or lounge days, unique culinary possibilities, art and design experiences, wellness programming, and nature—without a party-first atmosphere, Del Duca recommends.—
Karla Walsh,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That’s because one of the star ingredients, snow mushroom extract, boasts exceptional water retention, locking moisture into your hair, sealing the cuticle, and preventing humidity from creeping in.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
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When exhaustion overtakes them, something more sinister comes creeping from the shadows.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Negotiators are showing few signs of backing down from their demands, and there’s little holding back talks from dragging on for the foreseeable future.—
Al Weaver,
The Hill,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Eliza was eventually turned over to a bounty hunter, who, along with her original enslaver, went to Chicago and captured her, apparently dragging her down Adams Street, Krupa said.—
Molly Morrow,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Prince Edward and the former Prince Andrew smiled for the camera while poking their heads through the stone barriers on the grounds outside Buckingham Palace.—
Lori A Bashian,
FOXNews.com,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Social media users have also been poking fun at how popular the jackets are among the Asian diaspora.—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Say hello to your new favorite pizza that’s bursting with vibrant flavor!—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
15 Feb. 2026
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Others expel water from their cells to prevent the freeze-thaw cycle from bursting cell walls.—
Alex Kuffner,
The Providence Journal,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But that boost also didn’t last long – 2025 was marked mostly by Russia’s slow, grinding offensive along the 1,200-kilometer-long frontline.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Implementing peace deals is notoriously difficult, so slow progress can be expected.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Tire tread depth - Checking your tire tread before hitting the road is important, as low or no tread can lead to sliding.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
20 Feb. 2026
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Kids pulled in on sleds by their parents are yelping in glee, slipping and sliding around jaws of ice.—
Stephanie Pearson,
Outside,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Metcalf and Pullman are both wonderful in their shuffling ordinariness, reenacting long-obsolete parental dynamics with a kind of rueful, hopeful denial.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
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Bridgerton treats it as though every woman got multiples of their yearbook photo to hand around as headshots, and Benedict’s taking what would have been treasured personal heirlooms and just shuffling through them and tossing out anyone with the wrong hair color.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crawling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crawling. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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