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
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
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
Over the past few years the NHL has crept closer to MLB in valuations.
—
Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Alabama and Ole Miss vaulted into the club with big wins, while Texas A&M crept into minus-odds territory with a home win against Auburn.
—Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Now, the threat has crept further westward, with Poland reporting a swarm of up to 21 drones crossing from Belarus and Ukraine into Polish territory earlier this month and directing accusations toward Russia, which has denied responsibility.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
Negativity has crept back into the conversation.
—Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025
In the meantime, floodwaters crept closer and closer to her place.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 18 Sep. 2025
Inflation has crept higher over the past several months in part because tariffs are – slowly – starting to boost prices.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025
The closer her bus crept to the border, the more nervous Sofi grew.
—ProPublica, 13 Sep. 2025
By 2024, the number had crept to 30%.
—Alice Lassman, Time, 8 Sep. 2025
Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 2 Oct. 2025
Alabama and Ole Miss vaulted into the club with big wins, while Texas A&M crept into minus-odds territory with a home win against Auburn.
—Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Now, the threat has crept further westward, with Poland reporting a swarm of up to 21 drones crossing from Belarus and Ukraine into Polish territory earlier this month and directing accusations toward Russia, which has denied responsibility.
—Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
Negativity has crept back into the conversation.
—Jill Schlesinger, Mercury News, 22 Sep. 2025
In the meantime, floodwaters crept closer and closer to her place.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 18 Sep. 2025
Inflation has crept higher over the past several months in part because tariffs are – slowly – starting to boost prices.
—David Goldman, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2025
The closer her bus crept to the border, the more nervous Sofi grew.
—ProPublica, 13 Sep. 2025
By 2024, the number had crept to 30%.
—Alice Lassman, Time, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crept
Verb
-
The ads have now encroached into social media without proper disclosures with many online pharmacies not following the same rules that many pharmaceutical companies follow, a senior White House official said.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
-
From the deadly 2025 Los Angeles fires to the devastating 2019-2020 Australian bushfires and the 2018 wildfire in Athens, Greece, flames have increasingly encroached upon human settlements, claiming lives and livelihoods.—
Seyd Teymoor Seydi,
The Conversation,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Those questions only lingered after their third October, the two losses in Minnesota.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Aries fire burns away the residue of fear and doubt that may have lingered after the Virgo solar eclipse.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
After a disastrous trip to Mexico where Irina appeared repulsed by pretty much everything Zack did, the couple split and Zack crawled back to Bliss.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Just as Ted Lasso began life as a promo for NBC’s English Premier League coverage, Chad Powers crawled out of a gag on Eli’s Places, Eli Manning’s post-retirement ESPN+ program, in which the former Giants quarterback hides under prosthetics to pose as an aspiring Penn State walk-on.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As the weeks dragged on, agencies including the IRS and State Department called more workers back to keep things running.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Oct. 2025
-
One letter submitted late Wednesday was from Gina Huynh, the Combs ex-girlfriend who previously told gossip vlogger Tasha K that Combs shoved her to the ground and dragged her by her hair in 2018.—
Jodi Guglielmi,
Rolling Stone,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Social Security benefits, for example, are considered mandatory by law and continue, although some services may be delayed if some workers are furloughed.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
8 Oct. 2025
-
Democratic leaders countered that the subsidies are not a new demand but rather the continuation of a program that has helped keep record numbers of Americans insured since the pandemic – and therefore that the issue could not be delayed.—
Christopher Robertson,
The Conversation,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The forward deked past the goaltender, backhanded the puck into the net and then slid into the boards.—
Peter Baugh,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
-
The contractors started moving toward an access hatch, and one was able to reach it, but the other slid about 85 feet down the pipe, deputies said.—
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Kansas City Star,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Amid the hangover of the 0-4 start, students shuffled out their dorms, lured by free food and faint promise of school spirit at the Rose Bowl.—
Cameron Teague Robinson,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Restyle Soft Goods Soft goods like accent pillows, throw blankets, and even curtains can be easily shuffled around to refresh your space, Reinhard says.—
Cori Sears,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Because tiny holes are poked into the soil surface, more nutrients can reach greater soil depths.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
3 Oct. 2025
-
In a 2019 post celebrating his third wedding anniversary with Miles, Minoso poked fun at his character’s romantic shortcomings.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Crept.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crept. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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