to creep

Examples

• All

• We'll creep up on him so he won't notice.

  Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)

• We're going to creep up round the stairs and give him a ripe old scare.

  An American Werewolf in London (1981)

• The self-doubt starts to creep in.

  Bisping (2021)

• I had to creep up on some fool today at the drive-through.

  Menace II Society (1993)

• I was putting the pumpkin out when this van came creeping up the driveway.

  The Man in the White Van (2024)

• The good news is that nearly all of our NAEP scores are slowly creeping upward year by year.

  Academic text (2015)

• She didn't see me creep down the stairs to have a peep.

  The Basement Yard

• Emmet was so panicked by hearing gunshots... he crept into the front seat and took off.

  Sweet and Lowdown (1999)

• We decided to creep quietly through the dark forest to avoid waking the animals.

• She had to creep along the edge of the cliff to avoid slipping off.

Synonyms

S

to sneak

vsto creep

699 2.8

To move or take something quietly so others do not notice

keeps the stealth idea but adds slow, low movement close to ground

S

to slip

vsto creep

503 2.3

To move quietly and easily, often without being noticed

is similar when quiet but usually intentional and very low to the ground

C

to crawl

vsto creep

406 1.0

To move forward slowly on hands and knees or with the body close to the ground

is similar but stresses quiet avoidance rather than only ground contact

T

to tiptoe

vsto creep

44 3.1

To walk quietly on the toes to avoid making noise

is quieter and slower but typically done much closer to the ground

S

to stalk

vsto creep

41 6.0

To move quietly and carefully while looking for animals to catch

shares cautious movement but tends to be slower and closer to the ground

P

to prowl

vsto creep

35 5.3

To move quietly around a place looking for something

is stealthy too but normally involves slower, lower body movement

S

to slither

vsto creep

35 4.3

To move smoothly and quietly like a snake along the ground

is also quiet but focuses on slow, low bodily motion rather than sliding

C

to creep up

vsto creep

33 4.6

To move or happen slowly and quietly so it is not noticed

is similar but usually implies staying very low to the ground

S

to skulk

vsto creep

20 7.7

To move or act quietly to avoid being noticed

matches secrecy but usually adds the physical low-to-ground movement aspect

S

to slink

vsto creep

16 6.7

To move quietly and carefully to avoid being seen

is alike in stealth but involves lower body position near the ground

S

to sidle

vsto creep

5 8.1

To move slowly and quietly to the side to avoid being noticed

is about quiet, slow movement but usually with the body near ground

G

to ghost

vsto creep

1 6.8

To move quietly and smoothly so people do not notice

shares smooth stealth but usually includes actual low ground contact

S

to sidle past

vsto creep

1 7.9

To move sideways past someone quietly without being noticed

is similar in secrecy but usually involves lower body contact with ground

S

to skulk in the shadows

vsto creep

1 8.6

To hide and move quietly in dark places to avoid being seen

is similar in hiding but often involves crawling or staying very low

M

to mouse

vsto creep

8.7

To move quietly and carefully so other people do not notice

shares furtive motion but emphasizes moving very close to the ground

P

to pussyfoot

vsto creep

• Informal

8.9

To move quietly and carefully to avoid being noticed

is similarly cautious but specifically involves low, slow bodily movement

S

slithering

vsto creep

4.3

Moving smoothly and quietly like a snake

is quiet like sliding motion but stresses slow, ground-hugging movement

Antonyms

R

to run

∞ 1.0

To move a boat fast in the same direction as the wind

Phrasal Verbs

C

to creep up

33 4.6

To move or happen slowly and quietly so it is not noticed

C

to creep in

14 4.9

To begin to appear or affect someone slowly and quietly

Compounds

M

mission creep

4 7.8

A slow change that makes a project do more than planned

B

bracket creep

• Literature

1 8.5

When inflation raises pay, people move into higher tax bands and pay more tax without getting richer

C

creep feed

• Specialized

6.8

Special food given to young animals like piglets or calves that adults cannot reach

C

creep hole

8.9

A small opening you look through to watch without being seen

How Stealthy

to stalk

• Offensive

195 7.4

to creep

155 2.5

to skulk

20 7.7

sneak

2 5.6

to sidle

5 8.1

to tiptoe

44 3.1

Surface Forms

Etymology