1
2
as in drags
to move slowly
the weekend traffic on the road to the beach just crawled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lingers
to move or act slowly
the deadline is fast approaching, so this is no time to crawl
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of crawls
New Atlas, 9 Feb. 2026
Ma crawls toward you and plants her palms on your cheeks.
—Molly Aitken, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
John Tufts The weather outside is about to get frightful as a potentially dangerous winter storm crawls its way across the country.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 23 Jan. 2026
In the video, the coyote crawls out of the water and struggles to get his footing once on the rocks.
—Amanda Hari, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
Since the holidays, many of us have spent winter days cooped up inside, shuttling between work, school and home while the calendar crawls toward spring.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026
In Elf, while Santa (the late Ed Asner) is setting out toys at an orphanage on Christmas Eve, Buddy (Will Ferrell) crawls into his sack.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
Dead Bug Ab-cross crawls support overall ab strength.
—Health Editorial Team, Health, 20 Dec. 2025
For example, in Jaén and Ronda, fragrant olive mills reveal just how this liquid gold is pressed, while like San Sebastian boast pintxos crawls with a private local guide to celebrate the quality and artistry of each small bite — which naturally gets paired with equally delicious conversation.
—Spain Tourism, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
Verb
As with aftermarket switchable sway bar systems, drivers can lock the sway bars in place for better handling and stability at speed and unlock them completely for maximum articulation during bumpy rock crawls.
—New Atlas, 9 Feb. 2026
Ma crawls toward you and plants her palms on your cheeks.
—Molly Aitken, New Yorker, 1 Feb. 2026
John Tufts The weather outside is about to get frightful as a potentially dangerous winter storm crawls its way across the country.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 23 Jan. 2026
In the video, the coyote crawls out of the water and struggles to get his footing once on the rocks.
—Amanda Hari, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026
Since the holidays, many of us have spent winter days cooped up inside, shuttling between work, school and home while the calendar crawls toward spring.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2026
In Elf, while Santa (the late Ed Asner) is setting out toys at an orphanage on Christmas Eve, Buddy (Will Ferrell) crawls into his sack.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 23 Dec. 2025
Dead Bug Ab-cross crawls support overall ab strength.
—Health Editorial Team, Health, 20 Dec. 2025
For example, in Jaén and Ronda, fragrant olive mills reveal just how this liquid gold is pressed, while like San Sebastian boast pintxos crawls with a private local guide to celebrate the quality and artistry of each small bite — which naturally gets paired with equally delicious conversation.
—Spain Tourism, Miami Herald, 18 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crawls
Verb
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Suspicion and shame drenched Hanceville like the fog that creeps down Main Street.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Mintz agrees that intentional time matters, especially when guilt creeps in.—
Jennifer Jay Palumbo,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
And when the failure drags on long enough, extreme partisanship rushes in to fill it.—
Melissa Derosa,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
-
But the process often drags on for years, with a slim success rate.—
Chris Lau,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
No screens, no distractions—only the kind of presence that lingers long after the vows are spoken.—
Nikita Khanna,
Vogue,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Measles also lingers in rooms longer than many other diseases, Weber added.—
Mary Ramsey,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The 60-year immigration bubble finally bursts.—
,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Once a cushioned conduit to the other side, the casket now bursts with the wisdom of a life lived outside the box.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Yet the buyback program has suffered yearslong delays and pushback from police, provincial officials and gun owners.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Travelers with airline reservations may be nervously recalling a 43-day government shutdown that led to historic flight cancellations and long delays last year.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
From the mouth of Lake of the Woods, the Warroad River snakes through the middle of the city limits, a few blocks from the headquarters of Marvin Windows and Doors, the employer as synonymous with the town as the sport of hockey.—
Dave Campbell,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The dining room features a sprawling chandelier that snakes its way across the ceiling.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Tristan returns home and greets James while Siegfried shuffles the woman out the window.—
Alice Burton,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
-
That is not unique — Major League Baseball’s offseason shuffles along at a deliberate pace, just as the Dodgers historically have liked.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Amazon also strikes a nerve with an ad starring Chris Hemsworth that pokes fun of people’s fears of AI.—
Dee-Ann Durbin,
Fortune,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Cucurella lands on the rebound and pokes in.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Crawls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crawls. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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