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
Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Jan. 2026
What’s that warmth creeping over you?
—Literary Hub, 2 Jan. 2026
For observers on Earth's night side in North America, South America, parts of Europe and Africa, the chief sight will be the edge of Earth's shadow creeping across the lunar surface, and perhaps a hint of red as totality is approached but then snatched away.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2026
The energy of this full moon peaks at this time, but will already be creeping in by the turn of the year and until the middle of next week.
—Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 28 Dec. 2025
The worst culprits are creeping Charlie, dandelions, and plantains.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
Surveillance footage shows the Grinch creeping dressed as Santa Claus with a big red sack on his back.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
In the end, the Democrats mostly oriented their demands toward health care—above all, the renewal of expiring Obamacare subsidies—as opposed to, say, prioritizing more abstract ultimatums related to creeping authoritarianism.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
Although the start of winter is still a few weeks away, colder temperatures and even snow chances are creeping in.
—Laura L. Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 10 Nov. 2025
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
Grow as a creeping vine or along a trellis.
—Miranda Crowell, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Jan. 2026
What’s that warmth creeping over you?
—Literary Hub, 2 Jan. 2026
For observers on Earth's night side in North America, South America, parts of Europe and Africa, the chief sight will be the edge of Earth's shadow creeping across the lunar surface, and perhaps a hint of red as totality is approached but then snatched away.
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 1 Jan. 2026
The energy of this full moon peaks at this time, but will already be creeping in by the turn of the year and until the middle of next week.
—Kyle Thomas, PEOPLE, 28 Dec. 2025
The worst culprits are creeping Charlie, dandelions, and plantains.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
Surveillance footage shows the Grinch creeping dressed as Santa Claus with a big red sack on his back.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 23 Dec. 2025
In the end, the Democrats mostly oriented their demands toward health care—above all, the renewal of expiring Obamacare subsidies—as opposed to, say, prioritizing more abstract ultimatums related to creeping authoritarianism.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
Although the start of winter is still a few weeks away, colder temperatures and even snow chances are creeping in.
—Laura L. Davis, Nashville Tennessean, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creeping
Adjective
-
Other advantages include the leisurely pace, the excellent service on board, and the quality of the food and wine served.—
David Swanson,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
-
New research suggests that light daily movement, such as gentle stretching, a leisurely stroll, or easy household chores like vacuuming are linked to a lower risk of death in people with these overlapping conditions, called cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Trimming encroaching ivy protects fences, trees, and property by preventing rot, storm damage, and moisture buildup that attracts pests.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Acura sold 30,235 of them last year, with the cheaper, new-for-2025 Acura ADX likely encroaching on its turf.—
Adam Ismail,
The Drive,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ultimately, however, the lingering impact of being dragged last summer is known only to the officer – who is said to be experienced, with more than 10 years of service as an ICE deportation officer, according to DHS.—
Mark Morales,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The lingering fear of Jerry's wrath?—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The country is crawling with hot springs and spa retreats, like the famed Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Jan. 2026
-
My favorite space is the private balcony, crawling with green Spanish tile and bestowed with a bistro table and ashtray.—
Charlie Hobbs,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Kerra, the dog referenced in the video, had developed a grapefruit-sized mass on her breast tissue that was dragging on the ground and causing significant discomfort.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
That takes nothing away, though, from the epic job Herbert did dragging the Chargers through the second half of the season.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Traditional humanoid robots depend heavily on data collected by human operators, which is slow and expensive.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Her days were slow and intentional.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Since oxygen is the culprit, the trick to delaying the browning process is to shield the flesh from oxygen exposure.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
10 Jan. 2026
-
But a weaker-than-expected first quarterly earnings report in September was followed a week later by a testing explosion that destroyed a rocket stage — delaying an upcoming launch — and sent the company’s stock plummeting to about $20.—
Paul Flahive,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Joseph took over a team that had gone 9-7, but was sliding toward disaster.—
Patrick Saunders,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
-
Position the whetstone horizontally, coarse-side up, on a damp towel to prevent sliding.—
Randi Gollin,
Martha Stewart,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Creeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creeping. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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