creep 1 of 2

noun

Definition of creepnext
as in jerk
a person whose behavior is offensive to others finally found the creep who kept throwing his trash in the woods

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

creep

2 of 2

verb

ˈkrēp How to pronounce creep (audio)
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

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2
as in to delay
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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4
as in to drag
to move slowly the class hour seems to creep by

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Issues like scope creep, sloppy time tracking and pricing that no longer matches reality can lead to money left on the table. — Drew McLellan, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Lifestyle creep Another factor for high earners is lifestyle creep—the notion that increasingly luxurious household and discretionary spending quickly becomes perceived as a necessity as their income grows. — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026
Verb
Europe has crept back on the scene in a real negative way, this time with France on the hot seat. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026 The aberrant digit only crept in because Ford owned the rights to Model E and wasn’t interested in selling. — Jason Barlow, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for creep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creep
  1. jerk
  2. encroach
  3. delay
  4. crawl
  5. drag
  6. dog
  7. linger
  8. snake
Noun
  • From award-winning jerk pork wraps to classic rice and peas, every bite celebrates our heritage.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Bella’s childhood friend Angus (Jake Simmance), a corporate jerk, condescendingly probes Johnny about his career.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of jerk
Verb
  • The buzzer sounded and Banchero encroached on Johnson’s space before Dyson Daniels and Onyeka Okongwu tried to break them apart.
    — Lauren Williams, AJC.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • In general, California property owners can trim branches and roots that encroach onto their land.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of encroach
Verb
  • The tests could easily do the opposite, as people with results suggesting cancer require follow-up testing that overwhelms our healthcare system, potentially delaying diagnoses for people with cancer.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 24 Oct. 2026
  • The game was one of many across the Southland delayed or postponed by lightning, particularly in Orange County.
    — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of delay
Verb
  • On thinner material, that gives you a fighting chance at keeping heat and warpage under control without crawling along at a miserable pace.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The bystander told the woman to get down on the floor before crawling into the home beneath the heaviest heat and dragging her to safety, according to the fire department.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of crawl
Verb
  • Supporters — business groups and affordable housing advocates — say CEQA lawsuits drag projects out for years, jacking up your rent and mortgage.
    — Kiara Adams, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Related Stories The allegation relates to an incident in which Brand allegedly grabbed the woman by the arm and tried to drag her into a toilet.
    — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of drag
Noun
  • Lamm told TechCrunch that conventional breeding can produce dogs with poor eyesight or genetic predispositions to cancer.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Cadaver dogs also alerted to the scent of a corpse in the vehicle.
    — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of dog
Verb
  • Coming out of Saturday's showdown in Austin, those questions are going to linger over the next five to six weeks.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Moton lingered on the turf for a while, punching the turf in pain and dread, before a cart came out to transport him to the locker room.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of linger
Verb
  • Longtime collaborator Erik Blood foregrounds Butler’s dry drum machines in the mix, letting every other element shuffle around them, snaking toward the spotlight for a brief moment and retreating back into the brume.
    — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Arthur Russell — Hall’s primary musical collaborator and the artist most associated with his own work — lived on the top floor, a cord of bootleg electricity snaking up from Ginsberg’s window to his apartment.
    — Jack Denton, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of snake

Phrases Containing creep

Browse Nearby Words

creeks
creep
creeper
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Cite this Entry

“Creep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creep. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about creep

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