creeping
adjective
creep·ing ˈkrē-piŋ 
: developing or advancing by slow imperceptible degrees
a period of creeping inflation
Synonyms
- crawling
- dallying
- dawdling
- dilatory
- dillydallying
- dragging
- laggard
- lagging
- languid
- leisurely
- poking
- poky
- pokey
- slow
- sluggish
- snail-paced
- snaillike
- tardy
- unhurried
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
at this creeping pace of progress we'll never have the float ready for the parade
Recent Examples on the Web 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 As the film moves to the seventh day, a creeping sense of catastrophe settles. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 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 The killings have taken on a creeping sense of inevitability, guards say. Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2021 For Democrats, the key factor was the creeping sense that social media platforms, whatever the political leanings of their founders, had helped Donald Trump get elected. Gilad Edelman, Wired, 19 June 2021 Selva and Patchworks add clomping drums, scraps of rhythm guitar, a creeping, high synthesizer line that wouldn’t be out of place in a G-Funk record, and the peppiest of horn sections. Elias Leight, Rolling Stone, 27 May 2021 One, an intangible effect of having been so successful so early in the team’s contention window might have been a creeping sense of complacency. Jared Wyllys, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2021 See More
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 As the film moves to the seventh day, a creeping sense of catastrophe settles. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Jan. 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 The killings have taken on a creeping sense of inevitability, guards say. Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2021 For Democrats, the key factor was the creeping sense that social media platforms, whatever the political leanings of their founders, had helped Donald Trump get elected. Gilad Edelman, Wired, 19 June 2021 Selva and Patchworks add clomping drums, scraps of rhythm guitar, a creeping, high synthesizer line that wouldn’t be out of place in a G-Funk record, and the peppiest of horn sections. Elias Leight, Rolling Stone, 27 May 2021 One, an intangible effect of having been so successful so early in the team’s contention window might have been a creeping sense of complacency. Jared Wyllys, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2021 See More Word History
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing creeping
creeping 1 of 2
adjective
as in slow
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- slow
- leisurely
- crawling
- dragging
- poking
- slowing
- lagging
- dawdling
- pokey
- dallying
- dilatory
- sluggish
- tardy
- laggard
- dillydallying
- lingering
- poky
- unhurried
- languid
- snail-paced
- inching
- snaillike
- ambling
- loitering
- deliberate
- loafing
- shuffling
- lethargic
- lounging
- plodding
- tarrying
- strolling
- measured
- stalling
- decelerating
- procrastinating
- inert
- inactive
- filibustering
- heavy-footed
- slow-footed
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rushing
- running
- rapid
- flying
- hurrying
- rocketing
- whirling
- speeding
- bolting
- racing
- swift
- breathless
- hasty
- lightning
- speedy
- scurrying
- breakneck
- scudding
- brisk
- dizzy
- whirlwind
- quick
- fast
- meteoric
- scooting
- careering
- fleet
- barreling
- accelerated
- ready
- zipping
- prompt
- expeditious
- snappy
- whisking
- hastened
- quickened
- warp-speed
- rushed
- hurried
creeping
2 of 2verb
1
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
- encroaching
- inching
- invading
- sneaking
- worming
- snaking
- impinging
- intruding
- entrenching
- overshooting
- overreaching
- infringing
- intrenching
- overrunning
- overstepping
- overpassing
2
as in crawling
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
- crawling
- lingering
- delaying
- poking
- dragging
- strolling
- lagging
- shuffling
- loitering
- dawdling
- playing
- stalling
- lollygagging
- dillydallying
- moping
- lallygagging
- falling behind
- tarrying
- dropping behind
- hanging fire
- staggering
- diddling
- lounging
- dallying
- inching
- sauntering
- marking time
- idling
- dragging one's heels
- ambling
- loafing
- dragging one's feet
- taking one's time
- shilly-shallying
- lolling
- trifling
- decelerating
- lumbering
- easing
- plodding
- fooling around
- procrastinating
- messing around
- temporizing
- filibustering
- puttering (around)
- fiddling (around)
- pottering (around)
- monkeying (around)
- hanging (around or out)
- slowing (down or up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- tearing
- rushing
- running
- flying
- scurrying
- hastening
- ripping
- scudding
- hurrying
- whirling
- scooting
- speeding
- whizzing
- coursing
- darting
- racing
- rocketing
- careering
- bolting
- barreling
- zipping
- dashing
- barrelling
- hurtling
- stampeding
- whisking
- galloping
- scrambling
- humping
- running
- breezing
- hustling
- accelerating
- trotting
- sprinting
- quickening
- bowling
- jogging
- hotfooting (it)
- overtaking
- outrunning
- outpacing
- speeding (up)
- outstripping
- catching up
- fast-forwarding
3
as in sliding
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
- crawling
- sliding
- snaking
- slithering
- tiptoeing
- sneaking
- wriggling
- worming
- crouching
- bellying
- inching
- grovelling
- groveling
- squatting
- skulking
- edging
- stealing
- nosing
4
as in dragging
to move slowly the class hour seems to creep by Synonyms & Similar Words
- dragging
- crawling
- shuffling
- poking
- inching
- slouching
- oozing
- snailing
- limping
- shambling
- plodding
- nosing
- trudging
- creaking (along)
- tramping
- lumbering
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- flying
- floating
- speeding
- racing
- gliding
- whizzing
- tearing
- zipping
- sailing
- hurrying
- contrariness
- contrarinesses
- contrarious
- contrariousnesses
- contrariwise
- contrarotating propeller
- contrarotation
- contrary
- contrary motion
- contrary terms
- contrary to
- contrary to expectations
- contrary to popular belief
- contrary to popular opinion
- contrary-minded
- contras
- contraseasonal
- contraseasonally
- contrast
- contrastable
- contrasted
- contrasted (to)
- contrasted to
- contrastedly
- contraster