Synonyms of crept

crept

verb

past tense of creep

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

• encroached
• inched
• invaded
• sneaked
• wormed
• snaked
• entrenched
• intruded
• impinged
• infringed
• overstepped
• overshot
• overreached
• overran
• overpassed

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

• lingered
• crawled
• dragged
• delayed
• poked
• strolled
• loitered
• shuffled
• dawdled
• lagged
• played
• stalled
• fell behind
• diddled
• dropped behind
• tarried
• hung fire
• lollygagged
• marked time
• dallied
• lounged
• moped
• staggered
• sauntered
• ambled
• idled
• inched
• took one's time
• dragged one's feet
• dillydallied
• trifled
• loafed
• eased
• shilly-shallied
• fiddled (around)
• plodded
• puttered (around)
• lolled
• pottered (around)
• fooled around
• decelerated
• hung (around or out)
• lumbered
• slowed (down or up)
• messed around
• temporized
• monkeyed (around)
• procrastinated
• filibustered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hurried
• sped
• rushed
• hastened
• raced
• ran
• flew
• scurried
• dashed
• scooted
• tore
• whirled
• bolted
• ripped
• darted
• whizzed
• coursed
• rocketed
• whisked
• scudded
• zipped
• scrambled
• hustled
• barreled
• hurtled
• ran
• trotted
• stampeded
• breezed
• humped
• galloped
• sprinted
• jogged
• bowled
• careered
• accelerated
• quickened
• overtook
• hotfooted (it)
• sped (up)
• outstripped
• outpaced
• caught up
• outran
• fast-forwarded

3

as in crawled

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

• crawled
• slid
• snaked
• slithered
• tiptoed
• wriggled
• crouched
• wormed
• sneaked
• squatted
• groveled
• bellied
• inched
• edged
• stole
• nosed
• skulked

4

as in dragged

to move slowly

the class hour seems to creep by

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dragged
• crawled
• shuffled
• poked
• inched
• slouched
• limped
• oozed
• creaked (along)
• plodded
• nosed
• snailed
• trudged
• shambled
• tramped
• lumbered

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• flew
• raced
• sped
• sailed
• floated
• hurried
• whizzed
• zipped
• glided
• tore

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of crept

Authorities offered no immediate crowd count as the truck crept down the street. — Nasser Karimi, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

When the rain cleared, an American flag that covered most of the outfield was unfurled during the national anthem, and the fog slowly crept in. — Andy Martinez, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Authorities offered no immediate crowd count as the truck crept down the street. — ABC News, 5 July 2026

Doubt crept into the mind of at least one person who called out the golf influencer for using AI. — Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026

Vozinha crept toward Messi, rather than wait on his back foot, and stuffed Messi’s right-footed shot. — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 4 July 2026

Leaders should identify where bottlenecks crept back in, restore psychological safety around small failures, and rebuild the feedback loops that make frequent, low-risk deployment feel sustainable. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026

Some of the absurdism of his early style has crept back into the act, coupled with an evident joy in playing around with taboo topics and landing the plane to the audience’s approval. — Alison Herman, Variety, 30 June 2026

The joy crept in after Derek Hill leapt and stretched his arm over the Citi Field center field wall, then threw to the infield, saving what certainly would have been a two-run homer from Juan Soto in Friday’s first inning. — Charlotte Varnes, New York Times, 27 June 2026