as in leisurely
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
at this creeping pace of progress we'll never have the float ready for the parade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in encroaching
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 lingering
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 crawling
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 dragging
to move slowly
the class hour seems to creep by
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of creeping
Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2023
As a child, she was plagued by anxiety and the creeping sense that adults, especially her mother, were keeping secrets from the kids.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Jan. 2023
Then comes the creeping sense that their conversation is screwy.
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 11 Sep. 2022
For some, once the initial shock wore off, a creeping sense of inevitability set in.
—Ruth Madievsky, The Atlantic, 18 July 2022
This growing entanglement of the corporate and social, this creeping sense of being tracked by invisible eyes, demands an increasing sophistication about what is said and where.
—Kara Devlin, Longreads, 20 May 2022
But beneath the know-it-all tweets, there is a creeping sense that the psychological distance between the masses of 401(k) investors and the billionaire marks may not be that far.
—New York Times, 9 Oct. 2021
Aisha Alves, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2026
Still, meetings have a way of creeping back onto calendars, so leaders need to empower their employees to defend their time and decline meetings, which can feel awkward or even insulting to the organizer.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
Yet with Strong and Fudd, a creeping sense of an inevitable Huskies victory never goes away — the eventual 30-point margin was the largest in the series’ history and was Tennessee’s second-worst loss in program history.
—Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Congress is creeping toward a partial government shutdown that could start at the end of this week, just a few months after the country emerged from the longest shutdown in its history.
—Chantelle Lee, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
The temperature is creeping above zero during the day, but the wind chill remains dangerously low.
—Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
After a short detour, visitors will find some cute photo ops with the beavers and even more Pokémon creeping onto the main trail.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
Make the jump to cigarette jeans, also known (less charmingly) as stovepipe or boyfriend jeans, which are slowly but surely creeping into the fashion ecosystem.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 27 Jan. 2026
With January temperatures plummeting to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, there’s a permanent line of frost on the inside of Janchuk’s windows, white patterns creeping across the glass by morning.
—Derek Gatopoulos, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The overall effect is one of decadence laced with a creeping sense of horror.
—Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2023
As a child, she was plagued by anxiety and the creeping sense that adults, especially her mother, were keeping secrets from the kids.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Jan. 2023
Then comes the creeping sense that their conversation is screwy.
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 11 Sep. 2022
For some, once the initial shock wore off, a creeping sense of inevitability set in.
—Ruth Madievsky, The Atlantic, 18 July 2022
This growing entanglement of the corporate and social, this creeping sense of being tracked by invisible eyes, demands an increasing sophistication about what is said and where.
—Kara Devlin, Longreads, 20 May 2022
But beneath the know-it-all tweets, there is a creeping sense that the psychological distance between the masses of 401(k) investors and the billionaire marks may not be that far.
—New York Times, 9 Oct. 2021
Verb
Innovation in Production Across legal markets, AI is already creeping into cultivation, not as sci-fi robots trimming buds, but as quiet systems making decisions humans used to make by gut.
—Aisha Alves, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2026
Still, meetings have a way of creeping back onto calendars, so leaders need to empower their employees to defend their time and decline meetings, which can feel awkward or even insulting to the organizer.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
Yet with Strong and Fudd, a creeping sense of an inevitable Huskies victory never goes away — the eventual 30-point margin was the largest in the series’ history and was Tennessee’s second-worst loss in program history.
—Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Congress is creeping toward a partial government shutdown that could start at the end of this week, just a few months after the country emerged from the longest shutdown in its history.
—Chantelle Lee, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
The temperature is creeping above zero during the day, but the wind chill remains dangerously low.
—Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
After a short detour, visitors will find some cute photo ops with the beavers and even more Pokémon creeping onto the main trail.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 27 Jan. 2026
Make the jump to cigarette jeans, also known (less charmingly) as stovepipe or boyfriend jeans, which are slowly but surely creeping into the fashion ecosystem.
—Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 27 Jan. 2026
With January temperatures plummeting to 14 degrees Fahrenheit, there’s a permanent line of frost on the inside of Janchuk’s windows, white patterns creeping across the glass by morning.
—Derek Gatopoulos, Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creeping
Adjective
-
From sunset yoga and a world-class spa to leisurely strolls under the live oaks and days spent by the pool, activities at the 20,000-acre resort are numerous—and relaxing.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Most of the money engages the leisurely judgment of the bettors, who have all day to survey the odds or the records of the starting pitchers, or to apply their systems.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Coyotes are encroaching on urban areas, and have killed household pets and livestock, while sometimes also biting humans.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Next to him on the catwalk-slash-stage, Marguerite LeRolland, senior global insight manager at data analytics firm Euromonitor, spoke about the shifting political landscape and encroaching economic pressures.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Experts say a lingering cold air mass across the Midwest could keep temperatures below historical averages well into early spring.—
Brandi D. Addison,
IndyStar,
3 Feb. 2026
-
By Monday, any lingering concerns about Warsh or his history of hawkishness had been largely put aside as Wall Street turned its attention to surprisingly strong US manufacturing data.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Stay low and keep crawling forward for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.—
RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan,
Health,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Few things shake the confidence of a person like crawling to the top bunk of a quivering bed frame, your feet wrapping uncomfortably along the frail metal rungs of the ladder.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Osage County District Judge Stuart Tate twice ruled against the attorney general’s office for dragging its feet in providing evidence to ET Gathering and Processing backing up the state’s complaints of market manipulation.—
Paul Monies,
Oklahoma Watch,
3 Feb. 2026
-
All of the above has to be absolutely banned along with Border Patrol enforcement near the border, arrests or breaking down people’s doors without a real judicial warrant, and dragging people away regardless of their right to stay in America.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Some folks who were moving a little slow, some folks wanted to dilute the Canadiana or the Big C Canadian of it.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
31 Jan. 2026
-
In practice, the process is slow, burdensome, and uncertain.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Persons should consider delaying all travel.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2026
-
These conditions can make driving challenging, so exercise extreme caution on the road, and if possible, consider delaying your trip.—
Southern California Weather Report,
Oc Register,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The defender remained upfield after a corner kick, sliding into position inside the 6-yard box to bang home a cross from Emma Sears with her left foot.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Jan. 2026
-
After receiving no response from inside the home, the SWAT team deployed a smaller armored vehicle known as a Rook to break down a side fence and enter the home through a sliding glass door.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Creeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creeping. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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