creeps 1 of 2

plural of creep

creeps

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of creep
1
as in encroaches
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
3
as in crawls
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

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 creeps
Noun
As the temperature creeps into the upper 50s and 60s, the body has a tougher time supplying blood to muscles while also keeping the body cool. Scott McFetridge, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026 Edging When lawn grass creeps into flower beds, a deep, crisp edge helps, according to Ulanoski. Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 4 Aug. 2026 Cristobal wants to make sure none of that outside noise creeps in as Miami navigates through its campaign. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 Work creeps in that no longer matches the role, the individual's strengths or what the organization needs most right now. Karen Cochran, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 The real culprit is a manipulative drug dealer (Ben Foster, who’s becoming the go-to actor to play creeps) who swoops in and steals Mike’s lady love, Sophia (Shailene Woodley). Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 July 2026 An easy one-and-done outfit for warm days, this midi dress is just as easy to layer with a jacket or cardigan once fall creeps in. Jill Layton, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026 As Neptune goes retrograde, anxiety creeps in at the realization of your fallibility. Usa Today, USA Today, 7 July 2026 Water sprayed to control dust creeps into the streets, creating small pools of green liquid. Jena Brooker, ProPublica, 6 July 2026
Verb
With those sessions behind the team, the season creeps closer. Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026 The polarizing quarterback will start Cleveland's exhibition opener at Chicago on Saturday — his first game action since 2024 — and Shedeur Sanders will play in the second half as the Browns' QB competition creeps toward a conclusion. ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026 Moura can only laugh at the absurd timing, though a hint of understandable frustration still creeps into his recollection. Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026 Complexity slowly creeps in, via the boardroom, presentations, decisions, relationships and finally, the ability to serve the consumer and the very reason why the company exists in the first place. Sonal Jain, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 As our conversation extends into the hour mark, her hood creeps upward along the side of her face most visible to those around us. José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 23 June 2026 The look of elation that creeps over his face is a perfect encapsulation of everything that long-suffering Knicks fans were feeling when the ad aired. Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 16 June 2026 Humidity creeps back into the picture on Sunday with highs in the low 90s, increasing clouds and brisk southwest winds ahead of a strong cold front. Tammie Souza, CBS News, 13 June 2026 Cleary asks people to pay attention to which feelings keep surfacing and when—anger that flares every evening, say, or loneliness that creeps in at night. Angela Haupt, Time, 10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creeps
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
  • Something from this article might put me on some Ben Shapiro list, where a bunch of jerks literally will just call me ‘f****t’ or worse on my social media.
    William Earl, Variety, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • The case also determined that the neighbor has the right to trim any greenery that encroaches onto their property.
    Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
  • As long as nothing encroaches on their territories, these mega-caps can continue to invent and profit with their core businesses generating consistent gains.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Nearly the entire group lingers in the living room—playing chess, swapping stories, exchanging photos.
    Johanna Wolfe, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2026
  • As attendees make their way out of the venue, excitement lingers through the air.
    Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Hairy-nosed wombat births are hard to spot, as after about a 30-day pregnancy, the joey crawls into its mother’s pouch.
    Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Researchers have developed a new control framework that enables humanoid robots to perform agile movements, including army crawls, breakdancing and backflips.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Some of those embassy staff may start returning to their posts soon, however the State Department is still limiting the number of personnel in the Middle East as the war in Iran drags on.
    Greg Dixon, NPR, 21 Aug. 2026
  • But after years of unprecedented contributions to astronomy, the forces governing the cosmos are finally taking their toll as Earth’s gravitational pull slowly drags the telescope closer towards a point of no return.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Yusef Toubassi sits with his grandson Masa, looking on as children run by with cheeks painted bright colors and others howling with joy as clowns spin them around.
    Dina Kraft, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Aug. 2026
  • One morning during my stay, there were even clowns buzzing about—a thrill to receive a balloon poodle alongside my morning flat white.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026
Verb
  • Even in the bathrooms, the toilet and bidet are concealed inside a kind of Travertine bench and the showerhead pokes out from a monolithic stone slab.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
  • This is strong language, which pokes at our tribal memory of gasoline shortages from the 1970’s.
    George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Verb
  • The new district snakes up through Kansas City’s urban core, in an attempt to create a district more favorable for Republicans in the 5th District.
    Jack Harvel July 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
  • The story of McCarthy’s life was written on this winding street that snakes through a small, working-class corner of Pittsburgh where the Monongahela River bends.
    Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 27 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Creeps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creeps. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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