creaky

American  

[kree-kee] / ˈkri ki /

adjective

creakier, creakiest

1. creaking or apt to creak.

   a creaky stairway.

2. run-down; dilapidated.

   a creaky shack.

3. Phonetics. (of the voice) produced by vibration of a small portion of the vocal cords while the arytenoid cartilages are held together, with little breath being released; laryngealized.

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Other Word Forms

• creakily
  adverb
• creakiness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of creaky

First recorded in 1825–35; creak + -y ¹

Explanation

Something that's creaky makes a groaning or scraping sound. If your front door is creaky, its hinges might need to be oiled. The sound of footsteps on a creaky wood floor, or climbing your creaky stairs, can be spooky at night. You can also describe a hoarse or high-pitched voice as creaky, and your grandfather might sigh, "Oh, these creaky old knees," when he stands up. Creaky describes the grating sound, and also the worn out or run-down nature of old things or people. It comes from creak, which is imitative — its sound suggests its meaning.

Example Sentences

Creaky starts are a common ritual of aging.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

Creaky joints, graying hair, and crow’s feet are all fairly obvious, whereas other changes are more subtle—occurring at the cellular and molecular level.

From Science Magazine • Mar. 21, 2024

Creaky old Santa Anita was about to have a resurrection.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 31, 2023

Creaky, cozy and atmospheric, it has wide-plank floors covered in rush matting, a scullery with a Belfast sink skirted with linen and a cabinet that once held powdered wigs.

From New York Times • Mar. 16, 2021

Creaky infrastructure is already weighing on productivity and wages.

From Economist • Mar. 3, 2016

Related Words

• battered
• broken-down
• dilapidated
• feeble
• flimsy
• frail
• infirm
• ramshackle
• rickety
• run down
• seedy
• shabby