creep 1 of 2

Definition of creepnext

creep

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to encroach
to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits water crept slowly over the top of the tub and onto the floor

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
as in to crawl
to move slowly with the body close to the ground the kitten crept silently across the floor before suddenly pouncing on the mouse

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

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 creep
Noun
The sun shines brighter over Madison Square Garden these days, especially during the playoffs, when long-dormant expectation creeps back in. Tom Kludt, Vanity Fair, 17 Feb. 2026 As cancer creeps into younger and younger people's lives, few roadmaps exist for how to proceed. David Oliver, USA Today, 15 Feb. 2026
Verb
This time round, though, an unfortunate silliness sometimes creeps in, where the film risks tipping over Shakespearean-size emotions into embarrassing bathos. Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026 Sophomore point guard Stephen Dixon didn’t let any doubt creep in for De La Salle. Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for creep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creep
Noun
  • My Jamaican Table, his first book (Springsteen wrote the foreword), is a mouth-watering mix of traditional classic dishes like oxtail with rice and peas, and curry chicken alongside modern spins on American classics, like his signature jerk smashburger with bacon jam.
    Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2026
  • So, yeah, of course this person is (probably) being a real jerk about things.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • In the last few decades, the bug has encroached from Utah’s Virgin River into prime flycatcher habitat in northern Arizona.
    Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 13 Mar. 2026
  • And once a stream erodes its banks, flooding can encroach on nearby infrastructure like bridges or homes.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • But Democrats would also be allowed to bring up an indefinite number of amendments on any subject, forcing Republicans to take hard votes in an election year and delaying the process even more.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Mar. 2026
  • The airframe is currently scheduled to remain in service until at least 2050, and upgrade programs are constantly being delayed.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Hanson, who spends much of his life crawling through underbrush to count trees, plunged ahead into stands of chest-high ceanothus, pointing out sequoias camouflaged in the pervasive post-fire brush.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Related groups of animals, such as the ancestors of today’s millipedes, crawled out of the sea a bit earlier than insects did.
    Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The war continued to escalate on its 13th day as oil prices spiraled up again to $100 per barrel, and stocks sank worldwide over fears that the conflict could drag on longer than hoped.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Even with the massive emergency release, analysts said that strategic reserves can cover only a fraction of the supply loss if the conflict dragged on.
    Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • This is a day for speaking plainly and clearing up lingering misunderstandings.
    Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Showers may linger through the mid-morning.
    Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Boca Raton’s civic engagement Steady lines of voters snaked around some of the city’s polling sites throughout Tuesday.
    Abigail Hasebroock, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The team became the spectacle of Havana, with Maduro’s Gran Stadium filling with the sound of pounding drums and a conga line snaking through the crowd, as baseball felt more like a festival than a game.
    Tyler Carmona, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • But researchers who studied crocodiles at an outdoor recreation center near Cape Town appear to have poked a hole in that approach.
    Regina G. Barber, NPR, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Featured in this article What’s more, hotel pillows often have other special features, including down-proof encasements (meaning feathers won’t poke through the cover over time).
    Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 9 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Creep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creep. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.

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