creep 1 of 2

noun

Definition of creepnext
as in jerk
a person whose behavior is offensive to others finally found the creep who kept throwing his trash in the woods

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

creep

2 of 2

verb

ˈkrēp How to pronounce creep (audio)
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
as in to delay
to move or act slowly that Friday afternoon we were just creeping, waiting for the bell to sound so that we could start the long weekend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in to drag
to move slowly the class hour seems to creep by

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 creep
Noun
The biggest safety mistake is letting the refrigerator creep above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 28 July 2026 Hathaway, in her third collaboration with Nolan, is cunning but weary, while Pattinson is just a fantastic creep. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 24 July 2026
Verb
Inflation creeping higher The extreme heat compounds an expensive summer for Europe, where the war has already pushed up energy costs. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026 Once your produce is fully dried, store it in an airtight container so moisture cannot creep back in. — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for creep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creep
  1. jerk
  2. encroach
  3. delay
  4. crawl
  5. drag
  6. dog
  7. linger
  8. snake
Noun
  • That screwed up the works / And not due to his sloppy hiring / Of a crew of incompetent jerks.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Kris and Billy watch that one together in an intimate sleepover, sinking into the murky texture of a scene in which the virginal actor allowed a jerk to take off her clothes.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • In what his dad (Ed Harris) calls the decline of humanity, the club is being encroached on by pickleballers clamoring for more courts.
    — Christine Ledbetter, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • But the somatosensory cortex, the touch cortex, has like encroached upon it.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of encroach
Verb
  • Conditions that are too cold might delay proofing or rising, resulting in a super-dense loaf.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Cellphone use before bed delays the natural drop in cortisol that teenagers need to fall asleep, according to Alice Hoagland, PhD, director of the Insomnia Clinic at the Rochester Regional Sleep Disorder Center.
    — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of delay
Verb
  • And imagine the bear, cornered in an unfamiliar lair, seeing the light of the only exit blocked by this larger attacker that did not howl or bark, but crawled silently toward him through the addled dogs.
    — Paul Schullery, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Tests on Boston Dynamics’ Atlas, Unitree’s G1 and Boston Dynamics’ Spot showed the robots could perform crawling, cartwheels, handstands, soccer kicks and other complex movements across different robotic body types.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of crawl
Verb
  • Pourrain submitted a request for extension of his stay, was awaiting an appointment, the process dragged on for years, and in the meantime, he was granted a work permit and had a valid driver’s license.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 12 Aug. 2026
  • But Beaman is quick to point out that people shouldn't simply head into the woods and start dragging things out themselves.
    — Spencer Wilson, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of drag
Noun
  • Queen Victoria and her husband, Prince Albert, had a number of dogs throughout their life.
    — Audrey Schmidt, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Things get increasingly bleak, as the family dog’s heart medicine runs out and Jason has to put him out of his misery, and then — in doomsday prepper mode — carves up the body and puts it in the freezer just in case food gets dire.
    — William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of dog
Verb
  • In astrology, Venus governs love, pleasure, money, relationships and values, while Pluto exposes what’s lingering beneath the surface.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Any lingering hope that Netanyahu could be convinced to take part in such an endeavor now looks for the birds.
    — Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of linger
Verb
  • Previously centered on Nashville and central Tennessee, the district now extends to the northwest corner of the state before snaking south along the Mississippi River to Memphis.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • After Haystack Pass—one of the trail’s most significant ascents—the Highline continues, snaking across open valleys, offering nearly uninterrupted views before reaching the Granite Park Chalet.
    — Taryn Shorr-Mckee, Travel + Leisure, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of snake

Phrases Containing creep

Browse Nearby Words

creeks
creep
creeper
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Creep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creep. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on creep

Nglish: Translation of creep for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about creep

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vacuous

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Words of the Week - Aug. 14

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All