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
Driving through lush, evergreen rainforest, far past the industrious city of Seattle, a rolling mist creeps in. Christina Fang, Travel + Leisure, 22 Oct. 2025 Most of the time, slop is easily identifiable, but still, doubt creeps in. Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2025 As the younger generation moves out and development creeps into Nepal’s Mustang District, an old way of life is in danger of dying out. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2025 Then, a black bear creeps in through the brush and begins tugging, pulling, and sinking its two-inch teeth into the carcass. Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 8 Oct. 2025 The atmosphere of a Gothic novel creeps over you; encroaching mist along the outcroppings. Leanna Renee Hieber, Big Think, 2 Oct. 2025 So if rain piles up on your street and creeps under your door, a situation that is happening more frequently in Florida due to climate change, normal home insurance will not cover that claim. Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2025 Once the familiar franchise fog creeps into town, a wave of red spider lilies crashes behind it, warping Ebisugaoka and its inhabitants with a sickly red and pink glow. Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 23 Sep. 2025 With my combination skin, shine always creeps in after a few hours. Lily Wohlner, Allure, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
Meyers will continue being a name to watch as the deadline creeps closer. Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025 The Japanese influence creeps in again with a matcha white chocolate chip cookie. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2025 Employees notice the waves of shiny experiments that come and go (with no momentum), and cynicism creeps in. Aditya Vikram Kashyap, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 Bias also creeps into the data used to train these algorithms, for example when the composition of teams that guide the development of such facial recognition software lack diversity. Robert Pearlman, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creeps
Noun
  • Gave the two jerks her very best.
    Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Because even in a world of monsters, ghouls, and greedy jerks, the good guys still prevail.
    Gwen Ihnat, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Apparently, our west block wall encroaches six feet into our neighbor’s back yard, which includes our swimming pool motor and related equipment.
    Christopher A. Combs, AZCentral.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • While a new generation of young singer-songwriters encroaches on country music’s old guard by the day, the Texas barnstormer has found his footing with a fan base hell-bent on capturing every moment Myers affords them.
    Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • There are occasional reminders that the Mafia lingers.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The camera lingers for a few seconds on Miguel, in his new emotive state for the rest of his life, without Marta.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • What to do if the -- if the original guy crawls out of his grave and wants his job back.
    ABC News, ABC News, 26 Oct. 2025
  • When a storm crawls, rainfall piles up over the same towns for days.
    Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • His speech comes as Miami-Dade has become a political pawn as the shutdown drags on.
    Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The longer the shutdown drags on, the more likely disruptions become.
    Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The neck of his daughter's guitar pokes out above chunks of concrete.
    Jane Arraf, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Who else pokes holes in this claim?
    U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Two incumbents — west Charlotte’s Thelma Byers-Bailey and Summer Nunn, whose district snakes along the county’s southern border — chose not to run for reelection to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Board of Education.
    Josh Bergeron, Charlotte Observer, 2 Nov. 2025
  • In its search for ample sunlight, the species tightly snakes up trees.
    Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • That’s a solid dramatic question, but one that might’ve been more productive as an inciting incident, as too much of this low-budget drama shuffles around subjects that demand incisive action in 2025, effectively creating a subtle irony that undermines the film’s own point.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2025
  • Gakpo is deeper, and Wirtz pushes forward as the central member of Liverpool’s forward line, while Ekitike shuffles across as the left of the trio.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Creeps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creeps. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on creeps

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!