Creeping — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /ˈkrē-piŋ/ creep·ing

Meaning & Definition of Creeping

Creeping (adjective)

  1. developing or advancing by slow imperceptible degrees

Creeping (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. 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"

    similar: crawling, dallying, dawdling, dilatory, dillydallying, dragging, laggard, lagging, languid, leisurely, poking, poky, slow, sluggish, snail-paced, snaillike, tardy, unhurried
    related: deliberate, measured, inactive, inert, lethargic, loafing, lounging, lingering, loitering, tarrying, ambling, heavy-footed, inching, plodding, shuffling, slow-footed, strolling, decelerating, slowing, filibustering, procrastinating, stalling
    opposite: barreling, bolting, breakneck, breathless, brisk, careering, dizzy, fast, fleet, flying, hasty, hurrying, lightning, meteoric, quick, racing, rapid, rocketing, running, rushing, scooting, scudding, scurrying, snappy, speeding, speedy, swift, warp-speed, whirling, whirlwind, whisking, zipping
    near: expeditious, prompt, ready, accelerated, hastened, quickened, hurried, rushed

Creeping (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits

    "water crept slowly over the top of the tub and onto the floor"

    similar: encroaching, inching, worming
    related: snaking, sneaking, entrenching, impinging, infringing, intruding, invading, overpassing, overreaching, overrunning, overshooting, overstepping

  2. 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"

    similar: crawling, dallying, dawdling, delaying, diddling, dillydallying, dragging, lagging, lingering, loitering, lollygagging, moping, poking, shilly-shallying, tarrying, dragging one's feet, dropping behind, falling behind, hanging fire, marking time, taking one's time
    related: fiddling (around), fooling around, messing around, monkeying (around), playing, pottering (around), puttering (around), trifling, hanging (around or out), idling, loafing, lolling, lounging, ambling, easing, inching, lumbering, plodding, sauntering, shuffling, staggering, strolling, decelerating, slowing (down or up), filibustering, procrastinating, stalling, temporizing
    opposite: barreling, bolting, careering, coursing, dashing, flying, hastening, hotfooting (it), hurrying, racing, ripping, rocketing, running, rushing, scooting, scudding, scurrying, speeding, tearing, whirling, whisking, whizzing, zipping
    near: bowling, breezing, darting, humping, hurtling, hustling, scrambling, stampeding, galloping, jogging, running, sprinting, trotting, accelerating, quickening, speeding (up), catching up, fast-forwarding, outpacing, outrunning, outstripping, overtaking

  3. to move slowly with the body close to the ground

    "the kitten crept silently across the floor before suddenly pouncing on the mouse"

    similar: bellying, crawling, groveling, sliding, slithering, snaking, worming, wriggling
    related: crouching, squatting, edging, inching, nosing, skulking, sneaking, stealing, tiptoeing

  4. to move slowly

    "the class hour seems to creep by"

    similar: crawling, creaking (along), dragging, inching, limping, nosing, oozing, plodding, poking, slouching, snailing
    related: lumbering, shambling, shuffling, tramping, trudging
    opposite: flying, racing, speeding, whizzing, zipping
    near: floating, gliding, sailing, hurrying, tearing

Related Entry: Creep (verb)

Creep is a different word from Creeping. The synonyms below are for creep, not for creeping.

  1. to advance gradually beyond the usual or desirable limits

    "water crept slowly over the top of the tub and onto the floor"

    similar: encroach, inch, worm
    related: snake, sneak, entrench, impinge, infringe, intrude, invade, overpass, overreach, overrun, overshoot, overstep

  2. 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"

    similar: crawl, dally, dawdle, delay, diddle, dillydally, drag, lag, linger, loiter, lollygag, mope, poke, shilly-shally, tarry, drag one's feet, drop behind, fall behind, hang fire, mark time, take one's time
    related: fiddle (around), fool around, mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle, hang (around or out), idle, loaf, loll, lounge, amble, ease, inch, lumber, plod, saunter, shuffle, stagger, stroll, decelerate, slow (down or up), filibuster, procrastinate, stall, temporize
    opposite: barrel, bolt, career, course, dash, fly, hasten, hotfoot (it), hurry, race, rip, rocket, run, rush, scoot, scud, scurry, speed, tear, whirl, whisk, whiz, zip
    near: bowl, breeze, dart, hump, hurtle, hustle, scramble, stampede, gallop, jog, run, sprint, trot, accelerate, quicken, speed (up), catch up, fast-forward, outpace, outrun, outstrip, overtake

  3. to move slowly with the body close to the ground

    "the kitten crept silently across the floor before suddenly pouncing on the mouse"

    similar: belly, crawl, grovel, slide, slither, snake, worm, wriggle
    related: crouch, squat, edge, inch, nose, skulk, sneak, steal, tiptoe

  4. to move slowly

    "the class hour seems to creep by"

    similar: crawl, creak (along), drag, inch, limp, nose, ooze, plod, poke, slouch, snail
    related: lumber, shamble, shuffle, tramp, trudge
    opposite: fly, race, speed, whiz, zip
    near: float, glide, sail, hurry, tear

Related Entry: Creeping up (verb)

Creeping up is a different word from Creeping. The synonyms below are for creeping up, not for creeping.

  1. as in sneaking up

    similar: sneaking up, arriving, attaining, coming, gaining, hitting, landing, making, reaching, showing up, turning up, waltzing (up), adjoining, bordering, touching, verging, approaching, bellying up, closing, closing in, coming up, drawing on, nearing, nighing
    opposite: backing (up or away), receding, retiring, retreating, withdrawing, clearing out, departing, exiting, going, leaving, lighting out, pulling out, quitting, removing, running away, shoving (off), taking off, walking out

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Creeping

The most common words with a similar meaning to Creeping:

crawling, dallying, dawdling, dilatory, dillydallying, dragging, laggard, lagging, languid, leisurely, poking, poky, slow, sluggish, snail-paced, snaillike, tardy, unhurried, encroaching, inching, worming, delaying, diddling, lingering, loitering, lollygagging, moping, shilly-shallying, tarrying, bellying, groveling, sliding, slithering, snaking, wriggling, creaking (along), limping, nosing, oozing, plodding

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Creeping

Words with the opposite meaning of Creeping:

barreling, bolting, breakneck, breathless, brisk, careering, dizzy, fast, fleet, flying, hasty, hurrying, lightning, meteoric, quick, racing, rapid, rocketing, running, rushing, scooting, scudding, scurrying, snappy, speeding, speedy, swift, warp-speed, whirling, whirlwind

Related Words for Creeping

deliberate, measured, inactive, inert, lethargic, loafing, lounging, ambling, heavy-footed, shuffling, slow-footed, strolling, decelerating, slowing, filibustering, procrastinating, stalling, sneaking, entrenching, impinging, infringing, intruding, invading, overpassing, overreaching, overrunning, overshooting, overstepping, fiddling (around), fooling around

Near Antonyms of Creeping

expeditious, prompt, ready, accelerated, hastened, quickened, hurried, rushed, bowling, breezing, darting, humping, hurtling, hustling, scrambling, stampeding, galloping, jogging, sprinting, trotting, accelerating, quickening, speeding (up), catching up, fast-forwarding, outpacing, outrunning, outstripping, overtaking, floating

Origin & Etymology of Creeping

First known use: 14th century

Words & Phrases Containing Creeping

creeping eruption

Frequently Asked Questions about Creeping

What does "Creeping" mean?

"Creeping" means developing or advancing by slow imperceptible degrees. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: developing or advancing by slow imperceptible degrees. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Creeping"?

Other words for "Creeping" include crawling, dallying, dawdling, dilatory, dillydallying, dragging, laggard and lagging. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Creeping" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Creeping"?

There are 102 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Creeping". Common alternatives include crawling, dallying, dawdling, dilatory, dillydallying, dragging, laggard, lagging, languid and leisurely.

What is the opposite of "Creeping"?

Antonyms of "Creeping" include barreling, bolting, breakneck, breathless, brisk, careering, dizzy and fast. Near antonyms include expeditious, prompt, ready and accelerated.

How do you use "Creeping" in a sentence?

Examples of "Creeping" in a sentence: "at this creeping pace of progress we'll never have the float ready for the parade"; "water crept slowly over the top of the tub and onto the floor"; "that Friday afternoon we were just creeping, waiting for the bell to sound so that we could start the long weekend".

Is "Creeping" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Creeping" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Creeping"?

"Creeping" is pronounced /ˈkrē-piŋ/ and divided into syllables as creep·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Creeping"?

First known use: 14th century.