1
as in encroached
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
Relevance
2
as in lingered
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
4
as in dragged
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 crept
For many parts of the country, the average date of the first fall frost has passed, and the chill of autumn nights has already crept in, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
—
Stuart Dyos, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Pain crept into the set of his mouth.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
The memories of those late-game collapses crept in when the Sabres’ 4-2 lead became 4-3 early in the third period.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
But, throughout the decades, housing developments crept toward wildlands, the climate warmed, and fires increasingly escalated into unstoppable urban conflagrations.
—Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025
The New York City mayoral race has also crept into the race.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 20 Oct. 2025
Mary Janes have crept back into steady rotation this season.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2025
In the quiet of the Sabbath morning when all the neighborhood was wrapped in slumber, some dastardly degenerate crept into the room, choked her to death, assaulted her criminally and left her bruised and bleeding body lying on the bed.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
But in Wyoming, where the number of men who hunt has crept ever-so-slowly down, participation by women has increased 30 percent in the past 10 years, helping to hold the line.
—Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 16 Oct. 2025
Stuart Dyos, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Pain crept into the set of his mouth.
—Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
The memories of those late-game collapses crept in when the Sabres’ 4-2 lead became 4-3 early in the third period.
—Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
But, throughout the decades, housing developments crept toward wildlands, the climate warmed, and fires increasingly escalated into unstoppable urban conflagrations.
—Ingfei Chen, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2025
The New York City mayoral race has also crept into the race.
—Rachel Schilke, The Washington Examiner, 20 Oct. 2025
Mary Janes have crept back into steady rotation this season.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 18 Oct. 2025
In the quiet of the Sabbath morning when all the neighborhood was wrapped in slumber, some dastardly degenerate crept into the room, choked her to death, assaulted her criminally and left her bruised and bleeding body lying on the bed.
—Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
But in Wyoming, where the number of men who hunt has crept ever-so-slowly down, participation by women has increased 30 percent in the past 10 years, helping to hold the line.
—Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crept
Verb
-
Palace intrigue encroached on his confidence at times.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Lucah's second tooth had encroached, blocking the path for his right front tooth, which remains recessed in his gums, his mother said.—
Beth Warren,
Nashville Tennessean,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
After improvements in passenger totals in 2021, 2022, and 2023, San Jose and Oakland both began to suffer slumps in 2024 and the weakening pattern has lingered well into 2025, a review of official airport statistics shows.—
HECTOR AMEZCUA,
Sacbee.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Still, despite the trauma-thirsty embrace of Luke’s story from the media, the music lingered.—
Marissa R. Moss,
Rolling Stone,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
One live roach crawled on the floor near the kitchen door.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Roaring out of the gates in Set 2, the Raiders mounted a commanding 10-2 lead, but the Storm went blow for blow with the Raiders and crawled back into the set.—
Andrew Cornelius,
Twin Cities,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Though some institutions have welcomed workers’ unions, others have dragged their feet.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Knocked unconscious, Will is then dragged by the Demogorgon to the lair of Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).—
Ellise Shafer,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Several school districts in Massachusetts and New Hampshire have delayed the start of classes Wednesday because of the freezing rain and icy roads.—
WBZ-News Staff,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Fleury was shoved to the ice by Golden Knights winger Keegan Kolesar after sending a breakout pass and slid backward into the end boards.—
Jesse Granger,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes have been romantically linked since 2022, when the country singer slid into his DMs.—
Emily Kelleher,
InStyle,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Empty boxes were stacked along a side wall in the locker room as players shuffled in and out to pack up a season’s worth of shirts and jerseys and cleats and memorabilia.—
Nicki Jhabvala,
New York Times,
6 Jan. 2026
-
First, the sophomore shuffled back into coverage after showing A-gap pressure to intercept a Bryce Underwood pass over the middle of the field, ending a key fourth-quarter drive.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Whoopi Goldberg, Emily Blunt and Natasha Lyonne were among the stars expressing their outrage, while Ryan Reynolds poked fun at Tilly in his new Mint Mobile ad.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Low branches poked at the roof of our boat and brushed our arms.—
Idra Novey,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crept.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crept. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.
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