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creepy

creepy

366 3.0
Making you feel nervous, uncomfortable, or a little afraid
  • adjective
  • /ˈkriːpi/
translation icon : inquietante
  • The old house down the street gives me a creepy feeling whenever I walk by.

There was this really, really creepy service dog robot thing.

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Examples

  • I know it sounds creepy, but it's true.

  • There was this really, really creepy service dog robot thing.

  • So oh, just look, look how creepy that bag looks.

  • I saw it on some list of like creepy October books.

  • I look so creepy and Grace looks really good.

  • Anyway, it's creepy here without you.

  • Both the King and Queen found them creepy, but said, "How nice."

    Fiction book (1993)
  • "Hey," I said to myself, "this is a creepy thing to do."

    Fiction book (1995)
  • The land surrounding it was black and creepy, like the aftermath of a forest fire.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • Even at the time, Kevin had felt there was something creepy about Merlin's comment.

    Fiction book (1995)

Synonyms

scary
vscreepy
763 1.0

Causing fear or making you feel afraid

produces milder discomfort or nervousness rather than overt fear
frightening
vscreepy
287 3.0

Causing someone to feel afraid

is less intense, causing slight nervousness rather than clear fear
freaky
vscreepy
  • Informal
165 6.9

Strange in a way that makes you feel scared or nervous

is milder and causes only slight nervousness rather than strong oddity
spooky
vscreepy
96 3.2

Strange and frightening in a way that makes you feel nervous, like a ghost

is less overtly supernatural and more about quiet unease
eerie
vscreepy
91 5.1

A strange, frightening feeling as if ghosts are nearby

is less supernatural and more about mild nervous or scared feelings
unsettling
vscreepy
64 4.2

Making you feel worried or uneasy

is milder, causing slight nervousness rather than deeper worry
uncanny
vscreepy
61 7.0

Strange or mysterious in a way that makes you feel uneasy

causes simpler nervous or slightly scared feelings rather than mystery
discomforting
vscreepy
3 4.2

Causing someone to feel uneasy or worried

is more about slight nervousness rather than general unease
chilling
vscreepy
1 5.3

Making you feel very scared or worried

is less intense, producing slight nervousness rather than strong horror
shivery
vscreepy
1 6.0

Making you feel afraid or nervous

induces lower level discomfort or slight fear rather than shivering
shuddery
vscreepy
1 8.5

That makes you shiver with fear

causes only mild unease or slight nervousness rather than terror
creepy-crawly
vscreepy
  • Informal
7.6

Making you feel like something is crawling on your skin

creates general nervousness rather than a specific crawling sensation
shuddersome
vscreepy
9.9

Causing strong fear or disgust that makes you shiver

provokes milder nervousness instead of an intense shudder response

Antonyms

314 1.0

Giving a gentle feeling of enjoyment

1 2.3

Having a warm, pleasant appearance that makes people want to come closer

Compounds

creepy-crawly
  • Informal
1 7.8

A small crawling creature like an insect or spider that scares people

creepy-crawly
  • Informal
7.6

Making you feel like something is crawling on your skin

creepy-crawlies
  • Informal
7.9

A feeling of nervous discomfort when something feels unpleasant or scary

How Creepy

terrifying
209 5.3
eerie
91 5.1
creepy
366 3.0
unsettling
64 4.2
odd
798 1.0

Surface Forms

creepy positive

Morphology

creepy = creep (semi-transparent) = creep + y

The connection to 'creep' is clear, but the specific meaning of causing discomfort or fear is not a direct derivation.

Etymology

Creepy comes from the verb creep, which means 'to move slowly and quietly as if sneaking up on someone', plus the ending -y that makes a word mean 'like' or 'full of'. So something creepy feels as if someone or something is sneaking close to you, which is why it makes you feel uncomfortable or slightly scared.