creeps 1 of 2

noun

plural of creep
as in jerks
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

creeps

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of creep
1
as in encroaches
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 lingers
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 crawls
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 drags
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 creeps
Noun
People start feeling uncomfortable when the dew point creeps into the 60s, particularly the mid and upper 60s. — Paris Barraza, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 Also that killer choreography remains a surprisingly effective tool against creeps. — Lisa Whittington-Hill, Longreads, 27 Aug. 2026 In the ad, Hansen reportedly speaks directly to the audience and tells them to visit TruBlu, his streaming service featuring true-crime shows about scams and creeps. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026 As the temperature creeps into the upper 50s and 60s, the body has a tougher time supplying blood to muscles while also keeping the body cool. — Scott McFetridge, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026 Edging When lawn grass creeps into flower beds, a deep, crisp edge helps, according to Ulanoski. — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 4 Aug. 2026 Cristobal wants to make sure none of that outside noise creeps in as Miami navigates through its campaign. — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026 Work creeps in that no longer matches the role, the individual's strengths or what the organization needs most right now. — Karen Cochran, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026 The real culprit is a manipulative drug dealer (Ben Foster, who’s becoming the go-to actor to play creeps) who swoops in and steals Mike’s lady love, Sophia (Shailene Woodley). — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 23 July 2026
Verb
Nic Antaya / Getty Images As the calendar creeps toward September, the Detroit Red Wings are still conducting their search for their next general manager. — Max Bultman, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 The polarizing quarterback will start Cleveland's exhibition opener at Chicago on Saturday — his first game action since 2024 — and Shedeur Sanders will play in the second half as the Browns' QB competition creeps toward a conclusion. — ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026 Moura can only laugh at the absurd timing, though a hint of understandable frustration still creeps into his recollection. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026 Complexity slowly creeps in, via the boardroom, presentations, decisions, relationships and finally, the ability to serve the consumer and the very reason why the company exists in the first place. — Sonal Jain, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 As our conversation extends into the hour mark, her hood creeps upward along the side of her face most visible to those around us. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 23 June 2026 The look of elation that creeps over his face is a perfect encapsulation of everything that long-suffering Knicks fans were feeling when the ad aired. — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 16 June 2026 Humidity creeps back into the picture on Sunday with highs in the low 90s, increasing clouds and brisk southwest winds ahead of a strong cold front. — Tammie Souza, CBS News, 13 June 2026 Cleary asks people to pay attention to which feelings keep surfacing and when—anger that flares every evening, say, or loneliness that creeps in at night. — Angela Haupt, Time, 10 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creeps
  1. jerks
  2. encroaches
  3. lingers
  4. crawls
  5. drags
  6. clowns
  7. pokes
  8. snakes
Noun
  • The Ars OpenForum is a place for readers to ask questions, compare notes, argue (without being jerks to each other), and go down all sorts of rabbit holes.
    — Eric Bangeman, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • That screwed up the works / And not due to his sloppy hiring / Of a crew of incompetent jerks.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of jerks
Verb
  • The case also determined that the neighbor has the right to trim any greenery that encroaches onto their property.
    — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
  • As long as nothing encroaches on their territories, these mega-caps can continue to invent and profit with their core businesses generating consistent gains.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 28 June 2026
Definition of encroaches
Verb
  • Inside Fort Worth's Cowboy Coliseum, a historic 1908 indoor rodeo venue in the heart of the city's famous Stockyards, the gunpowdery smell of pyrotechnics lingers in the air.
    — Christine Lennon, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Sorsby eventually withdrew from college and gave up the fight, but the lawsuit lingers on — triggered by a state court order that had temporarily allowed Sorsby to play despite the NCAA longtime ban of players who gamble.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of lingers
Verb
  • Hairy-nosed wombat births are hard to spot, as after about a 30-day pregnancy, the joey crawls into its mother’s pouch.
    — Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Researchers have developed a new control framework that enables humanoid robots to perform agile movements, including army crawls, breakdancing and backflips.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of crawls
Verb
  • Burkhart added that if the trade war drags on, businesses will face far greater risks and consumers — already facing difficulties keeping up with inflation and higher fuel prices — will face a greater challenge with the cost of living.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The move drags romance into spaces once reserved for a workout or a self-care Sunday.
    — Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of drags
Noun
  • Yusef Toubassi sits with his grandson Masa, looking on as children run by with cheeks painted bright colors and others howling with joy as clowns spin them around.
    — Dina Kraft, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Aug. 2026
  • One morning during my stay, there were even clowns buzzing about—a thrill to receive a balloon poodle alongside my morning flat white.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2026
Definition of clowns
Verb
  • Adults’s Gen-Z characters tend to see their comforts as transient, their identities as mutable, and seriousness as an annoying obligation, all of which the second season pokes at a bit.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Even in the bathrooms, the toilet and bidet are concealed inside a kind of Travertine bench and the showerhead pokes out from a monolithic stone slab.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of pokes
Verb
  • The new district snakes up through Kansas City’s urban core, in an attempt to create a district more favorable for Republicans in the 5th District.
    — Jack Harvel July 28, Kansas City Star, 28 July 2026
  • The story of McCarthy’s life was written on this winding street that snakes through a small, working-class corner of Pittsburgh where the Monongahela River bends.
    — Mike DeFabo, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of snakes

Phrases Containing creeps

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creeping up
creeps
creeps up
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Cite this Entry

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

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