crawly

[ kraw-lee ]

/ ˈkrɔ li /

Informal.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR crawly ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, crawl·i·er, crawl·i·est.

that crawls; noting or describing things, as worms or insects, that crawl, especially imparting a queasy feeling; creepy.

noun, plural crawl·ies.

a crawling insect, small reptile, etc.

Words nearby crawly

crawler track, crawley, crawling, crawling peg, crawlspace, crawly, craxi, cray, crayer, crayfish, crayola

Origin of crawly

First recorded in 1855–60; crawl¹ + -y¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for crawly

It sort of scares me, Steve—it's so creepy and crawly looking.
Spacehounds of IPC|Edward Elmer Smith
Was the cellar all horrid with old papers and rats and mice and spiders and crawly things with legs?
The Adopting of Rosa Marie|Carroll Watson Rankin
“I am not to be blamed if I squeal at crawly things,” sniffed the plump girl, hearing this.
Ruth Fielding Down East|Alice B. Emerson
And then, just as the snake was going to eat the tarts Jumpo threw the sharp burr at the wiggly, crawly creature.
Jacko and Jumpo Kinkytail|Howard R. Garis

All over the tree they ran, creepy, crawly, looking at every single thing.
How to Tell Stories to Children|Sara Cone Bryant

British Dictionary definitions for crawly

crawly

/ (ˈkrɔːlɪ) /

adjective crawlier or crawliest

informal feeling or causing a sensation like creatures crawling on one's skin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

crawly

adjective, crawl·i·er, crawl·i·est.

noun, plural crawl·ies.

Words related to crawly

Words nearby crawly

Origin of crawly

Examples from the Web for crawly

British Dictionary definitions for crawly

adjective crawlier or crawliest