creeps 1 of 2

Definition of creepsnext
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
If the reader cannot answer those questions quickly, doubt creeps in. Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 16 Apr. 2026 The Financial Times stepped inside the home of Rirkrit Tiravanija on the outskirts of Chiang Mai, where lush greenery spills through expansive windows and creeps into the interior itself. Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 15 Apr. 2026 This summer flower creeps along to eventually drape over the sides of window boxes and baskets. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Apr. 2026 Everybody on the right creeps left, and everybody on the left creeps right. Charlotte Observer, 30 Mar. 2026 Artemis 2 rocket creeps along toward launch pad NASA's Artemis 2 moon rocket, the second-ever Space Launch System booster, is slowly making progress along the 4-mile journey to its Florida pad at Launch Complex 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Josh Dinner, Space.com, 27 Mar. 2026 Fear creeps in as cases continue to rise The lack of official narrative may have led local folks to a premature sense of safety, believing that the outbreak had ended even as cases continue to add up. Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 23 Mar. 2026 The draft is interesting because there aren’t the top-of-the-board type options like last year (Colston Loveland and Tyler Warren) but the closer late April creeps, the deeper many people believe the tight end crop is on the whole. Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026 Ad dollars are crucial as the cost of staging the tournament creeps ever upwards. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 Mar. 2026
Verb
As the world creeps toward peak travel season, industry leaders are taking notice of the fuel shortages. Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 13 Apr. 2026 The bottom line Concentration risk often creeps into your portfolio over time. Doug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026 But as Mecklenburg County’s sprawl creeps its way into Union County, leaders are looking for ways to preserve the area’s rural feel the farmland that supports it. Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026 The same game of legislative chicken now starts anew as the calendar creeps toward April. Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2026 This time round, though, an unfortunate silliness sometimes creeps in, where the film risks tipping over Shakespearean-size emotions into embarrassing bathos. Miriam Balanescu, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026 The curved shadow of the Earth that creeps across the moon during lunar eclipses is key to humankind’s understanding of our planet. Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026 Here, the gentle tide creeps back and forth as a soothing marker of the passing day. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Feb. 2026 Suspicion and shame drenched Hanceville like the fog that creeps down Main Street. Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 7 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creeps
Noun
  • This was just the beginning of us young anarchists becoming judgmental jerks.
    Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
  • In the new sequel, Grace teams with her estranged younger sister, Faith (Kathryn Newton), as they’re hunted by four elite families full of murderous jerks scrambling to become the High Seat of a Council that controls the world.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 21 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • As the Chinese men shoot the breeze and play cards, a mob of armed white miners gathers over the hill and encroaches on the unsuspecting outsiders.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Cloud Dancer, a white that is both warm and cool, reflects an overwhelmed feeling among consumers as the world feels louder and technology, in particular AI, encroaches further into our lives.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • His remarks came as uncertainty still lingers about how long the Iran war would last.
    ABC News, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
  • The echo lingers, dissolving into an infinite void.
    Babak Rahimi, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Think about how often your toddler crawls near the dog bed or your kids toss pet toys around the living room.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026
  • In the book, Grace drags Rocky back to his part of the ship, exposing himself to the Eridian environment; in the film, Rocky crawls back while Grace is unconscious.
    Matthew Razak, Space.com, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • The complexity of the infrastructure drags the numbers down for any profit margin.
    Jennifer Van Grove, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Gourinchas outlined a potential worst-case scenario in which the conflict drags on into 2027.
    Hugh Leask, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The clip also pokes fun at Roach's retirement announcement in 2023, only to return to the industry two years later.
    Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Your 6th House of Health takes focus with the nurturing Moon there, though Luna also pokes expensive Jupiter in your 3rd House of Distractions.
    Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Another car snakes down the road.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Apr. 2026
  • Londoners won’t queue for just anything, but the coffee and pastries at Jolene are well worth joining the line that often snakes around the corner.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Tristan returns home and greets James while Siegfried shuffles the woman out the window.
    Alice Burton, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
  • That is not unique — Major League Baseball’s offseason shuffles along at a deliberate pace, just as the Dodgers historically have liked.
    Katie Woo, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Creeps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creeps. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.

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