creep 1 of 2

Definition of creepnext

creep

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to encroach
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

2
3
as in to crawl
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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of creep
Noun
The tiny silver-green leaves form an incredibly low, dense mat that creeps along the ground. Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 26 Apr. 2026 This achievement offers important lessons for those seeking to defend democracy from authoritarian creep around the world. Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
When decisions are made by those a few degrees removed from the data, assumptions can creep back in and influence outcomes. Alex Cooper, Fortune, 16 May 2026 Starting in western Maryland, clouds and a few showers slowly creep across the state. Rachael Jay, CBS News, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for creep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creep
Noun
  • Search the internet and there are coaches and players spotted sniffing the ammonia inhalants before a game, with their instant reactions — a noticeable head jerk or contorted face — going viral.
    Jason Jones, New York Times, 15 May 2026
  • Hethington didn’t want to cannibalize his menu with the dish, instead compromising with a jerk lamb shank, and a whole Chinese Trini chicken, an homage to the popular takeout food in Trinidad.
    Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • Gorris also said the risk becomes higher when humans encroach on rodents’ natural habitats.
    Erika Edwards, NBC news, 17 May 2026
  • Most of these settlers farmed, but then the cities of Cleveland and Akron encroached from north and south.
    Robert Annis, Midwest Living, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Alexis Mac Allister, whose fall from grace this season has been akin to Fabinho’s stark decline in 2022-23, stupidly delayed the taking of a Villa corner with some playacting which even prompted Slot to tell him to get up.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 16 May 2026
  • Air Charter Service offers an eclipse charter flight from London Stansted Airport that gives eclipse chasers flexibility by delaying the final destination decision until close to departure day, allowing organizers to target the clearest skies.
    Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Verb
  • Surveillance video from one convenience store that was burglarized shows a man in a hoodie crawling in through a hole in the bottom of the front door, climbing over the front counter and opening the cash register.
    CBS News, CBS News, 14 May 2026
  • Staff started out by wearing bear masks and animal furs, then crawling into the enclosure to spoon-feed the cubs formula.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • Analysts have repeatedly warned that if the war drags on and supply chains are disrupted for long enough, prices for gas and a range of other goods could continue to climb.
    Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
  • Billy, who speaks in a honeyed southern accent, dresses in Old Hollywood drag, and lives alone in the defunct summer camp where Camp Miasma was shot, isn’t just an envoy from another generation but a representative of a more visceral relationship with art.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms won the Democratic nomination for governor on Tuesday, stunning the field by avoiding the runoff her rivals had hoped would expose lingering doubts about her ability to win in November.
    Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 20 May 2026
  • Through this narrative strand, Dusabejambo, working with co-writer Delphine Agut and her incredible ensemble of actors, compellingly explore the ways in which wounds linger beyond just those people physically present during the atrocities.
    Josh Slater-Williams, IndieWire, 19 May 2026
Verb
  • Legislation in Louisiana seeks to address the Supreme Court ruling by scrapping a district that snakes over 200 miles (321 kilometers) northwest from the capital, Baton Rouge, to Shreveport, creating a voting bloc with a majority of Black residents.
    ABC News, ABC News, 14 May 2026
  • Louisiana map scraps snaking district Legislation in Louisiana seeks to address the Supreme Court ruling by scrapping a district that snakes over 200 miles (321 kilometers) northwest from the capital, Baton Rouge, to Shreveport, creating a voting bloc with a majority of Black residents.
    Jeffrey Collins, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • Spikes of speedwell look lovely poking up along the edges of paths and garden beds in summer.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
  • Some birds also will poke holes in the ground looking for tasty critters.
    Joan Morris, Mercury News, 18 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Creep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creep. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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