CREEPING Synonyms: 179 Similar and Opposite Words

creeping 1 of 2

adjective

ˈkrē-piŋ

Definition of creeping

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

creeping

2 of 2

verb

present participle of creep

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

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

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

as in dragging

to move slowly the class hour seems to creep by

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 creeping

Adjective

The play depends on the creeping eeriness of thinking your place of comfort has been corrupted and undercut by evil. — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026 The warmth of the film—shot on location in Positano, Italy—only adds to its creeping, sexy menace. — Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026 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

But now that fall is slowly creeping in, our wardrobes are ready to turn over a new leaf, too. — Amanda Le, InStyle, 27 Aug. 2026 Audiences embraced the films for their creeping realism and slow-building scares, which transformed ordinary bedrooms, hallways and home security cameras into places where something terrifying might be lurking just outside the frame. — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026 That has sent oil prices creeping higher for weeks, edging closer to $100 a barrel. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026 His football endurance might still be coming along; his football instincts might still be creeping back; his contact-balance is still a skill that needs to be strengthened after years of atrophy. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 22 Aug. 2026 Yet the monopolisation that plagues other top tiers, while not as stark in England, is creeping in. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Despite making changes last fall to help block adults from messaging unknown children, Roblox is still failing to stop adults from creeping on kids in other ways, Australia’s eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, said on Thursday. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026 Shauna is also feared by Taissa (Tawny Cypress) and Misty (Christina Ricci), who probably should be, what with Shauna journaling about how the thrill of the wilderness has been creeping back into her life. — Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Aug. 2026 So many people who influence public opinion in the United States do so in a damaging and unproductive way because the problem of creeping authoritarianism doesn’t affect them personally. — Sarah Batcha, Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for creeping

Adjective

At one end sits a cherry-red grand piano, and every afternoon, the young and talented Shefin Mathew plays classic tunes, setting the mood for a leisurely Champagne brunch at the Tea Lounge.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026
Spending spikes were sharpest in the afternoons and on weekends, while the longest, most leisurely trips happened in the evening.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of leisurely

Verb

But what do athletes think of robots not only encroaching on their turf, but surpassing their achievements?

— Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Without more straightforward approaches from vendors, such as easily comprehensible privacy policies and avoiding inappropriate ads, monitors are dangerously encroaching into smart-TV-like territory.

— Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of encroaching

Verb

Patterson, who turns 27 on Tuesday, has experience at guard and center, and the 49ers needed a backup at both spots considering Toth’s lingering concussion symptoms.

— Matt Barrows, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
For Green, and the Warriors (2-0), the victory eliminated any lingering doubts about their season opener last week, a thrilling, 32-26 triple-overtime win against Newbury Park.

— Joel Beers, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of lingering

Verb

An ancient Nazi scientist (Dan Stevens) crawling across a carpet to lick a woman’s stilettoed foot.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2026
Classicist and Roman plumbing expert Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow suggests that private toilets might have been cut off from the municipal sewers to prevent animals crawling up the pipes and into homes.

— Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of crawling

Verb

In addition, people are urged to secure to chains to avoid dragging and potential spark and not to toss cigarette butts out of vehicles.

— Tim Fang, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026
As mentioned previously, Babcock obstinately played a late-career Marleau in significant minutes during his time in Toronto with dragging results.

— Janson Duench, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of dragging

Verb

Rural leaders will probably follow the urban practice of ensuring community input – as required by Congress – before allowing tax-delaying investments by wealthy financial backers.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Sep. 2026
In a 2022 One Earth study of more than 47,000 people across 68 countries, researcher Kelton Minor and colleagues found that warmer nighttime temperatures shorten sleep, mostly by delaying when people fall asleep.

— Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of delaying

Verb

Rodriguez ducks away from the challenge before sliding a reverse pass through for Adria Pedrosa to strike at goal.

— Thom Harris, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Faraday Future’s shares peaked with excitement about its EV plans in 2021 and have been sliding since then.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of sliding

Browse Nearby Words

creepiness

creeping

creeping up

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Creeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creeping. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of creeping

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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