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creeping

creeping

4.6
A slow movement on hands and knees or along the ground
  • noun
  • /ˈkripɪŋ/
translation icon : gateo
  • The toddler was creeping quietly across the floor to avoid waking her baby brother.

Examples

  • This is much more of a slow creeping situation.

  • So I designed an entire film around slow, creeping Dolly shots.

  • He was creeping through the tall grass, trying not to make any noise.

  • The cat moved in a creeping manner, stalking its prey with careful movements.

Synonyms

shamble
vscreeping
35 8.0

A slow, awkward walk that drags the feet

refers to slow movement on the ground or hands and knees rather than awkward walking
crawl
vscreeping
23 1.2

A slow movement made by moving on hands and knees or by dragging the body

refers to the same slow movement but frames it as a movement type
creep
vscreeping
12 5.3

A slow movement of the body, often on hands and knees

is the broader term for that slow movement rather than the specific act
shambling
vscreeping
1 8.6

Walking with slow, dragging steps without lifting the feet properly

is about low body movement on the ground rather than a slow footed walk
crawling
vscreeping
1.0

A way of moving slowly on your hands and knees or by dragging your body along the ground

is the general slow movement type rather than focusing only on the action
dragging
vscreeping
4.2

To continue very slowly in a tiring and boring way

focuses on slow ground or hands and knees movement rather than general slowness
shuffling
vscreeping
3.9

To walk slowly while dragging the feet so they barely lift

applies to low ground movement on hands and knees rather than walking with feet

Antonyms

1.0

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

73 1.0

To move very quickly to reach a place

Idioms

9.9

A short cry showing surprise or shock

Compounds

A garden plant with blue bell-shaped flowers that spreads underground

creeping bent
  • Specialized
6.0

A low grass that spreads along the ground, often used for lawns and golf courses

creeping bentgrass
  • Specialized
7.5

A grass used for lawns and golf greens that spreads by long runners to form a dense mat

creeping bugle
  • Specialized
9.8

A low plant with spreading stems and spikes of blue flowers that covers bare ground

creeping buttercup
  • Specialized
7.9

A low plant with long stems that spread along the ground and small bright yellow flowers in damp places

A low plant that spreads across lawns and has small purple flowers

A plant that lives for many years with long creeping stems and small yellow flowers

creeping fern
  • Specialized
8.8

A delicate fern with stems that grow along the ground and some forked leaves

A low plant with round leaves and small yellow flowers that spreads to cover the ground

creeping juniper
  • Specialized
7.3

A low, spreading evergreen shrub used as ground cover that turns brownish purple in winter

creeping lily
  • Indian
9.2

A climbing plant with bright red, yellow, or purple flowers that is poisonous

creeping oxalis
  • Specialized
8.0

A small low weed with many branches and small yellow flowers that spreads over lawns and gardens

A low spreading evergreen plant used to cover the ground with bright yellow star-shaped summer flowers

creeping snowberry
  • Specialized
9.9

A low bush that spreads on the ground with small white flowers and white berries

A soft grass with velvety leaves that spreads across meadows and woods

A grass-like wetland plant with thin round stems that spreads along the ground

A common weed with purple flowers and roots that spread underground

A low, spreading plant with small purple flowers and a pleasant smell used as ground cover

A small shrub with long low branches and soft green leaves that spreads across ground and is used in gardens

9.9

An Australian grass that lives for many years and has long spikes like a windmill

A low plant that spreads along the ground with shiny scented leaves, small white bell flowers, and red berries

A small weed that grows close to the ground with leaves like a clover and small yellow flowers

A low, spreading annual plant with small bright flowers used as ground cover

How Slow

creeping
4.6
to walk
1.0
to jog
29 1.0
to run
1.0
sprint
55 2.1

Surface Forms

creeping singular
creepings plural

Morphology

creeping = creep (transparent) = creep + ing

The noun is a gerund/nominalization of the verb 'creep' formed by the productive suffix '-ing', so its meaning is directly derived from the verb.

Etymology

Creeping comes from an old English word crēopan meaning 'to move close to the ground', which is the same idea as the common word crawl. So creeping means slow, low movement, often on hands and knees or by dragging the body along the ground.