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 snakes
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
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 As fall creeps into Middle Tennessee, critters of all shapes and sizes will also be on the move — including spiders. Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean, 17 Sep. 2025 Every week, the door to the top of the AFC West creeps open a little more. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 16 Sep. 2025 As fall creeps closer, so does the end of daylight saving time. Shelby Slade, AZCentral.com, 10 Sep. 2025 But some see broader social dangers at work as such ideology creeps into national politics. Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
  • The sequel sees Odenkirk’s Hutch Mansell attempt to take a family vacation, only to cross paths with violent jerks played by Colin Hanks and Sharon Stone.
    Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2025
  • The mechanism feels smooth and sturdy—no awkward jerks or wobbles.
    Zoë Sessums, Architectural Digest, 4 Sep. 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
  • Arisu crawls onto a mound of rubble for momentary relief, and is met with an angry Banda.
    Kayti Burt, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Gameplay begins as the player crawls from the wreckage.
    G Kirilloff, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The district snakes through southeast Texas from the border near Hidalgo − through Pulido's native Edinburg − and northward up around Corpus Christi, where the Tejano singer Selena has her roots.
    Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
  • The Wild Flint The Flint snakes down Georgia, a safe distance from I-85 and I-75, before joining the Chattahoochee River in Lake Seminole and cutting across the Florida Panhandle as the Apalachicola River.
    David Hanson, Southern Living, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Linda also drags her daughter to a clinic for regular treatments, none of which seem to do any good.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 9 Oct. 2025
  • The White House has also warned that federal workers will be fired, and floated the possibility of denying back pay to furloughed employees, if the shutdown drags on much longer.
    Kevin Breuninger,Erin Doherty, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In a pair of promos shared to social media on Monday in support of her upcoming 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl (out Friday), the singer pokes some major fun at herself.
    Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Sep. 2025
  • The trailer for Season 6 of Solar Opposites, released today, pokes fun of the show’s imminent end.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Samsonite Better Than Basics Weekender Duffel The Samsonite Better Than Basics Weekender isn’t just roomy—it’s smartly designed with a pass-through sleeve that slides over your rolling suitcase handle, making airport dashes and hotel moves a breeze.
    Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Her voice, still more often than not, slides with ease into the cracks and crevices that kick drums and deep grooves open in neotraditional-style country compositions.
    Marcus K. Dowling, Nashville Tennessean, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • Because global air travel shuffles millions of people around the world daily, an outbreak of a very contagious disease anywhere can become a threat everywhere.
    Amy E. Stambach, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Creeps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creeps. Accessed 10 Oct. 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!