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
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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
Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
With trigger-warning culture on the wane and a brutish permissiveness creeping back into society, corporate scolds have lost much of their power.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2025
The same tactics are creeping into cyberspace.
—Stephen Townley, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Still, high-resolution satellite observations have shown that some megaripples across Mars do move — albeit slowly, creeping about one meter every nine Earth years.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Numerous species are commercially available, from the culinary classic common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) to colorful flowering groundcovers such as elfin thyme (Thymus serpyllum) and creeping thyme (Thymus praecox).
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 Aug. 2025
Even in the old days, critics were battling the forces of creeping niceness, and not always winning.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Over the past few centuries, social events have been creeping earlier and earlier and sad, sanitized phenomena like silent discos and alcohol-free mocktails threaten to steal revelry from our youth.
—Jennifer Leigh Parker, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
The film doesn’t entirely ignore the fact of mortality creeping closer.
—Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 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
The feelings of postpartum depression — despair, guilt, shame and worthlessness — began creeping in.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
With trigger-warning culture on the wane and a brutish permissiveness creeping back into society, corporate scolds have lost much of their power.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2025
The same tactics are creeping into cyberspace.
—Stephen Townley, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Still, high-resolution satellite observations have shown that some megaripples across Mars do move — albeit slowly, creeping about one meter every nine Earth years.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Numerous species are commercially available, from the culinary classic common thyme (Thymus vulgaris) to colorful flowering groundcovers such as elfin thyme (Thymus serpyllum) and creeping thyme (Thymus praecox).
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 Aug. 2025
Even in the old days, critics were battling the forces of creeping niceness, and not always winning.
—Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
Over the past few centuries, social events have been creeping earlier and earlier and sad, sanitized phenomena like silent discos and alcohol-free mocktails threaten to steal revelry from our youth.
—Jennifer Leigh Parker, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
The film doesn’t entirely ignore the fact of mortality creeping closer.
—Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 22 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creeping
Adjective
-
Bring along family or friends to enjoy a leisurely walk, trip to your local cider mill, adventurous hike or a picnic.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
With plates this inventive, brunch at Etch is less a leisurely pause and more an invitation to explore bold, boundary-crossing flavors.—
Rai Mincey,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But if your peonies are flowering less over time or nearby plants are encroaching on their growing space, dividing them in fall is one simple solution.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The general rule is that a property owner in Arizona is allowed, at the property owner’s expense, to trim encroaching roots or branches back to the property line.—
Christopher A. Combs,
AZCentral.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Yet with so many worries lingering, even after Shi’s attempt to reassure them, confidence is as low as at any time in his nine years at the helm.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
-
In fact, Jennings has been dealing with a lingering calf injury that kept him out of action through preseason.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The centipede the Redditor found crawling in her bed.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Aug. 2025
-
My death was supposed to be crawling up inside of the locker that the cat used to go in.—
Matthew Jacobs,
Vulture,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Since the deal closed in 2015, Kraft Heinz shares had tumbled nearly 70% as of Friday's close, dragging the company's market value down to $33 billion.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
2 Sep. 2025
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Nvidia fell roughly 2%, dragging the market lower.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Biden, who ended his bid for a second White House term 107 days before last year's election, has been relatively slow to move on presidential library planning compared with most of his recent predecessors.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Sep. 2025
-
With Parkinson’s, doctors implant electrodes in the brain that produce electrical impulses to disrupt the abnormal signals that cause tremors, stiffness and slow movement.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Coach Mike McDaniel said Waller was injured before Wednesday’s practice, delaying his return after spending last season in retirement.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The experts also recommend keeping devices out of bedrooms at night, establishing screen-free meals and even considering delaying access until mid-adolescence.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In recent weeks grosses for the show have slipped considerably, with the weekly take at the end of August sliding to an unsustainable $505,142.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
7 Sep. 2025
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Last year at Monza, Red Bull struggled with balance, with the car sliding at times.—
Kanzah Maktoum,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Creeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creeping. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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