as in leisurely
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
at this creeping pace of progress we'll never have the float ready for the parade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in encroaching
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
as in lingering
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 crawling
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 dragging
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 creeping
Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2023
As a child, she was plagued by anxiety and the creeping sense that adults, especially her mother, were keeping secrets from the kids.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Jan. 2023
Then comes the creeping sense that their conversation is screwy.
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 11 Sep. 2022
For some, once the initial shock wore off, a creeping sense of inevitability set in.
—Ruth Madievsky, The Atlantic, 18 July 2022
This growing entanglement of the corporate and social, this creeping sense of being tracked by invisible eyes, demands an increasing sophistication about what is said and where.
—Kara Devlin, Longreads, 20 May 2022
But beneath the know-it-all tweets, there is a creeping sense that the psychological distance between the masses of 401(k) investors and the billionaire marks may not be that far.
—New York Times, 9 Oct. 2021
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Balancing weight loss with bone health Helpful strategies to prevent weight regain related to diet include building meals around lean protein and noticing where calories might be creeping in, such as snacks, sugary drinks and alcohol.
—Amy J. Sheer, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2026
As the song unfolds, their voices begin to braid together like twin strands of ivy—a Scottish lilt and a Montana twang—creeping across a hard stone wall of fuzzy grunge guitars.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Innovation in Production Across legal markets, AI is already creeping into cultivation, not as sci-fi robots trimming buds, but as quiet systems making decisions humans used to make by gut.
—Aisha Alves, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2026
Still, meetings have a way of creeping back onto calendars, so leaders need to empower their employees to defend their time and decline meetings, which can feel awkward or even insulting to the organizer.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
Yet with Strong and Fudd, a creeping sense of an inevitable Huskies victory never goes away — the eventual 30-point margin was the largest in the series’ history and was Tennessee’s second-worst loss in program history.
—Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Congress is creeping toward a partial government shutdown that could start at the end of this week, just a few months after the country emerged from the longest shutdown in its history.
—Chantelle Lee, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
The temperature is creeping above zero during the day, but the wind chill remains dangerously low.
—Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The overall effect is one of decadence laced with a creeping sense of horror.
—Charlie Jane Anders, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2023
As a child, she was plagued by anxiety and the creeping sense that adults, especially her mother, were keeping secrets from the kids.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Jan. 2023
Then comes the creeping sense that their conversation is screwy.
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 11 Sep. 2022
For some, once the initial shock wore off, a creeping sense of inevitability set in.
—Ruth Madievsky, The Atlantic, 18 July 2022
This growing entanglement of the corporate and social, this creeping sense of being tracked by invisible eyes, demands an increasing sophistication about what is said and where.
—Kara Devlin, Longreads, 20 May 2022
But beneath the know-it-all tweets, there is a creeping sense that the psychological distance between the masses of 401(k) investors and the billionaire marks may not be that far.
—New York Times, 9 Oct. 2021
Verb
And if this keeps up, the Hornets have a legitimate chance to end the NBA’s longest current playoff drought, which is creeping in on a full decade.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Balancing weight loss with bone health Helpful strategies to prevent weight regain related to diet include building meals around lean protein and noticing where calories might be creeping in, such as snacks, sugary drinks and alcohol.
—Amy J. Sheer, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2026
As the song unfolds, their voices begin to braid together like twin strands of ivy—a Scottish lilt and a Montana twang—creeping across a hard stone wall of fuzzy grunge guitars.
—Liam Hess, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
Innovation in Production Across legal markets, AI is already creeping into cultivation, not as sci-fi robots trimming buds, but as quiet systems making decisions humans used to make by gut.
—Aisha Alves, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2026
Still, meetings have a way of creeping back onto calendars, so leaders need to empower their employees to defend their time and decline meetings, which can feel awkward or even insulting to the organizer.
—Claire Zillman, Fortune, 1 Feb. 2026
Yet with Strong and Fudd, a creeping sense of an inevitable Huskies victory never goes away — the eventual 30-point margin was the largest in the series’ history and was Tennessee’s second-worst loss in program history.
—Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Congress is creeping toward a partial government shutdown that could start at the end of this week, just a few months after the country emerged from the longest shutdown in its history.
—Chantelle Lee, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
The temperature is creeping above zero during the day, but the wind chill remains dangerously low.
—Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creeping
Adjective
-
That's because for many in Lahore, kite flying isn't a leisurely pastime.—
Betsy Joles,
NPR,
14 Feb. 2026
-
From leisurely barbecues to scenic boat rides, winter skiing to a ride on the thrilling summer mountain coaster, this lake is a hub of activity and Swiss charm.—
Meghan Palmer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Coyotes are encroaching on urban areas, and have killed household pets and livestock, while sometimes also biting humans.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Next to him on the catwalk-slash-stage, Marguerite LeRolland, senior global insight manager at data analytics firm Euromonitor, spoke about the shifting political landscape and encroaching economic pressures.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Experts point to restricted access to advanced chips and limited capital as lingering constraints.—
John Liu,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Women generally receive fewer advanced therapies for PE, like thrombectomy (a procedure to pluck out a clot), and end up with more bleeding complications and a higher rate of lingering issues, like clumps of scar tissue in arteries that can increase blood pressure.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
To save energy and prevent overheating, there’s a handy power button on top to easily turn the system on and off without crawling beneath your desk to access the wall outlet.—
Kelsey Borovinsky,
Architectural Digest,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Our March trip coincided with the birthing season, and as a result the place was crawling with baby animals.—
Flora Stubbs,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Trump’s dragging his own name and America’s name in the muck.—
Maureen Dowd,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Their misery was compounded by Szoboszlai’s dismissal for dragging back Erling Haaland deep into stoppage time when the net was gaping, with goalkeeper Alisson marooned upfield.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That builds on similar trends throughout 2025, when the industry buoyed an otherwise slow labor market, as the nation’s hospitals, clinics and nursing homes kept hiring even as many employers pulled back.—
Abha Bhattarai,
Washington Post,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Any type of realism was [limited to] very short clips, everything was very slow, bad textures, no skin textures, lacking detail.—
Arjun Kharpal,
CNBC,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Bushman, who was posted with the CDC, got a medical waiver delaying her deployment on account of stress and grief.—
Amy Maxmen,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
-
His company has mitigated tariff expenses by delaying store expansion and purchasing roasting equipment before the tariffs went into effect.—
Lori Ann LaRocco,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The sell-off comes alongside broader market woes, with tech stocks sliding and investors increasingly seeking shelter in old-school safe havens like gold and government bonds.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Dishes from other Olympic host cities Cortina will host women’s Alpine skiing, sliding sports (bobsled, luge and skeleton) and curling during the Games.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Creeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creeping. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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