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
Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
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
Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 28 Apr. 2026
That dingy look creeping across the screens and settling on every surface?
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Cameron milks this awesome sequence for all its worth, and the adrenaline rush is palpable as those smoking weapons do their best to strike down creeping creatures until the last bullet fires.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 Apr. 2026
In The Lawn Part of the legume family, each low-growing clover plant has creeping stems (stolons) that produce roots and shoots at nodes along the stem, which helps the plant to spread.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026
Golden creeping Jenny drapes over the edge of the pineapple-esque pot, and 'Painted Paradise Red' New Guinea impatiens add dark contrast in flower and leaf.
—Midwest Living, 22 Apr. 2026
With a gaping leg wound and an infection creeping in, Peeta paints himself to camouflage into the stream's bed of rocks, where Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) ultimately finds him.
—Sara Belcher, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Planting too early in spring or too late in autumn leaves your plants open to frost damage, while planting creeping phlox in the heat of summer is equally taxing.
—Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 21 Apr. 2026
Another sign of creeping fatigue?
—Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
The warmth of the film—shot on location in Positano, Italy—only adds to its creeping, sexy menace.
—Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026
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
For another easy-to-care-for choice that relishes sunlight, look to creeping juniper and its beautifully hazy blue-green leaves.
—Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 28 Apr. 2026
That dingy look creeping across the screens and settling on every surface?
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026
Cameron milks this awesome sequence for all its worth, and the adrenaline rush is palpable as those smoking weapons do their best to strike down creeping creatures until the last bullet fires.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 27 Apr. 2026
In The Lawn Part of the legume family, each low-growing clover plant has creeping stems (stolons) that produce roots and shoots at nodes along the stem, which helps the plant to spread.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026
Golden creeping Jenny drapes over the edge of the pineapple-esque pot, and 'Painted Paradise Red' New Guinea impatiens add dark contrast in flower and leaf.
—Midwest Living, 22 Apr. 2026
With a gaping leg wound and an infection creeping in, Peeta paints himself to camouflage into the stream's bed of rocks, where Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) ultimately finds him.
—Sara Belcher, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
Planting too early in spring or too late in autumn leaves your plants open to frost damage, while planting creeping phlox in the heat of summer is equally taxing.
—Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 21 Apr. 2026
Another sign of creeping fatigue?
—Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creeping
Adjective
-
Director Gay has sculpted a staging that is faithful to a more leisurely 19th-century storytelling style, yet satisfies modern audiences’ constant craving for stimulation.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Evenings brought cocktail hours, nightly presentations about the next day’s destination, and leisurely dinners, followed by time in the lounge.—
Susan B. Barnes,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
An encroaching fog is disrupting the ferry schedule.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Space can also prove an issue, because some school administrators see even tiny gardens in 5-gallon buckets as encroaching on their schools’ playgrounds.—
Shelley Mitchell,
The Conversation,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While coverage is expected to be more scattered, isolated strong to severe storms could still produce hail and gusty winds, particularly where daytime heating and lingering boundaries overlap.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The two men dined at a table alone, lingering long after all other diners had dispersed.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Police said Morgan was seen crawling under a partially open garage door before jumping into a backyard pool.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Footage shared by Sky News showed the animal crawling up onto the eatery's counter.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sam instead proposes that the performer dance to it without music, a prompt that is followed by Anne Hathaway flinging herself across the room, dragging her body across the floor in a hypnotic spectacle that seems to convey struggle, possession, and loss of control.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Even the sleeker Samsonite Proxis feels substantial without dragging you over the limit.—
Chaise Sanders,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
He is limited on passing downs and is more of a slow-burn pocket pusher than a man with a plan.—
Tobias Bass,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
In some cases, lenders may cover the costs of buydown for you (either partially or in full), if the market is particularly slow.—
Aly J Yale,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That is setting batteries up for a dual role as an enabler to putting more green energy on the grid and delaying the phase-out of fossil fuels.—
Mark Chediak,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was recently defeated in an election, had accused Ukraine of deliberately delaying repairs — an allegation that Zelenskyy denied.—
Karel Janicek,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At the same time, many institutions are grappling with ballooning operating costs and sliding enrollment, pressures that are intensifying labor conflicts over pay and resources.—
Kate Armanini,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
-
In the meantime, sliding on a pair of fins and exploring under the water's surface is a worthwhile way to temporarily escape your daily stresses, get away from doom scrolling and connect with the beauty of nature.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Creeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creeping. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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