Synonyms

creeping

American

[kree-ping] / ˈkri pɪŋ /

noun

Slang. the act or practice of following someone persistently or stealthily, especially online.

Twitter and LinkedIn creeping is a normal part of my day.

adjective

advancing or developing gradually so as to infringe on or supplant something else.

creeping inflation;
creeping socialism.

Etymology

Origin of creeping

creep + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That doesn’t mean prices for consumers haven’t been creeping up.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

Ruger said it adopted the poison pill to guard against a potential creeping takeover.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

The season just seems to get longer every year, creeping into the spring and summer months, with awards heavyweights like “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another” dropping mere months after the last Oscar ceremony.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

The discrepancy makes for a uniquely unnerving experience, especially in a theater with a decent sound system, where every unexpected thud can feel like it’s creeping in closer and closer.

From Salon • Mar. 15, 2026

Because now the door was just barely creeping open.

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023