Showing results for "creeping"

• present participle of creep.

creeping

American  

[kree-ping] / ˈkri pɪŋ /

noun

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

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

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adjective

1. 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

See Examples For:

creeping

The moth's caterpillars will only eat two plants - aspen and creeping willow - which makes it a challenge to conserve, according to Butterfly Conservation.

From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026

The proportion of top grades across the three nations combined has been slightly creeping up since that drop in 2023.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

But a creeping loss of purchasing power coming from multiple directions can catch them by surprise.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 29, 2026

Flames weren’t spreading rapidly but the fire was smoldering, creeping along and eating up the vegetation between the rocks on the ridgeline, she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

Because now the door was just barely creeping open.

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Related Words

• climbing
• spreading