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
And this wouldn’t be the first time that a traditional signifier of masculinity crept back into mainstream culture by way of performative half jokes.
—
Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Beside her, the crowd crept forward, wrapping around Our Lady of Mount Carmel with Cupich at the front.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
His eyes red and puffy, Schreiner said that two people had crept into his yard at night and snatched the pug.
—Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
Lunch service, once a staple, has diminished as remote work reshaped daily routines, while dinner has steadily crept earlier.
—Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
For me, new to ski touring, the appeal was immediate but somewhere along the way, doubt crept in.
—Kendall Hunter, Outside, 14 Feb. 2026
Diabate put his head down to butt up against Duren’s forehead after the two slowly crept toward each other and Duren took his right hand and swiped at Diabate.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
Nerves about possibly missing the NCAA Tournament have crept back in among fans in College Station.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
But as the frontlines crept closer to both cities, Ukrzaliznytsia suspended services to the two cities in November.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Daniel Engber, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Beside her, the crowd crept forward, wrapping around Our Lady of Mount Carmel with Cupich at the front.
—Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
His eyes red and puffy, Schreiner said that two people had crept into his yard at night and snatched the pug.
—Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
Lunch service, once a staple, has diminished as remote work reshaped daily routines, while dinner has steadily crept earlier.
—Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 17 Feb. 2026
For me, new to ski touring, the appeal was immediate but somewhere along the way, doubt crept in.
—Kendall Hunter, Outside, 14 Feb. 2026
Diabate put his head down to butt up against Duren’s forehead after the two slowly crept toward each other and Duren took his right hand and swiped at Diabate.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 11 Feb. 2026
Nerves about possibly missing the NCAA Tournament have crept back in among fans in College Station.
—Tony Catalina, Austin American Statesman, 10 Feb. 2026
But as the frontlines crept closer to both cities, Ukrzaliznytsia suspended services to the two cities in November.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crept
Verb
-
In an era when IP is king at the theatrical box office, particularly when it’s encroached upon by streaming, what’s the trick to figuring out if an original project can play to a mass audience or a Gen Z one?—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Palace intrigue encroached on his confidence at times.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The crowd of students that had flooded into Klyde Warren Park was gradually dispersing; some returned to the classroom and others lingered around the greenery.—
Jessica Ma,
Dallas Morning News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The Twin Earth, from Jaio Studios, lingered in the memory with its stylistic animation about the discovery of another, happier Earth.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
After two hours in their second pass, a large object crawled across the screen of Ehorn's Klein side-scan sonar.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
16 Feb. 2026
-
One live roach crawled on the floor in front of a storage rack with seasoning and cans.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Russian soldiers twice threatened to kill him, including an instance where he and a friend were dragged off the street by soldiers.—
Yuras Karmanau,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
If your suitcase is also looking a little worse for wear after being dragged through snowy sidewalks all winter, now is a good time to invest in new luggage.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The survivors were transported off the mountain, but recovery operations for those left on the mountain were delayed for several days due to continuing severe weather and avalanche danger.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Unfortunately, travel plans might be delayed or canceled.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
While Durbin underwent a last-minute root canal Friday morning, Mayer slid over to the hot corner.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The puck slid to Mikko Rantanen, who immediately ripped a wrist shot past Canada goalie Jordan Binnington, who never really stood a chance.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Teenage athletes, whose bodies are pushed to the breaking point and then shuffled out of the sport when new talent arises, bear the brunt of the pressure.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
-
That means there aren’t going to be just a few chairs shuffled around; my suspicion is much of the roster likely will be overhauled in the next few years.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Loamy soil keeps its shape but crumbles easily when poked.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
16 Feb. 2026
-
The sheet cake is poked with the handle end of a wooden spoon, creating big holes into which the lemon Jell-o (the glaze) was poured.—
Carolynn Carreño,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crept.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crept. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
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