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• creek
  creek

  noun

  a stream smaller than a river.
• Creek
  Creek

  noun

  a member of a confederacy of North American Indians that in historic times occupied the greater part of Alabama and Georgia.

creek

¹ American  

[kreek, krik] / krik, krɪk /

noun

creeks plural

1. U.S. and Canada. a stream smaller than a river.

2. a stream or channel in a coastal marsh.

3. Chiefly Atlantic States and British. a recess or inlet in the shore of the sea.

4. an estuary.

5. British Dialect. a narrow, winding passage or hidden recess.

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idioms

1. up the / a creek (without a paddle), in a predicament; in a difficult or seemingly hopeless situation.

   The pension is so small, I'd be up the creek if I had no other income.

   Don't ask me to navigate, or we'll be up a creek without a paddle in no time.

Creek ² American  

[kreek] / krik /

noun

Creeks, plural Creek plural

1. a member of a confederacy of North American Indians that in historic times occupied the greater part of Alabama and Georgia.

2. Also called Muskogee.  a Muskogean language that is the language of the Creek Indians.

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creek ¹ British  

/ kriːk /

noun

1. a narrow inlet or bay, esp of the sea

2. a small stream or tributary

3. slang in trouble; in a difficult position

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Creek ² British  

/ kriːk /

noun

1. a member of a confederacy of Native American peoples formerly living in Georgia and Alabama, now chiefly in Oklahoma

2. any of the languages of these peoples, belonging to the Muskhogean family

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creek More Idioms  

1. see up a creek.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• subcreek
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• Creek
  plural
• Creeks
  plural
• creeks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of creek

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English creke, variant of crike, from Old Norse kriki “bend, crook”

Explanation

A creek is a stream — like a river, but smaller — and if you grew up in the TV version of rural America, you probably had a creek babbling through your backyard and a dog that looked like Lassie. If you're "up a creek," or "up a creek without a paddle," you've got a problem with no solution in sight. Say you're out in the middle of nowhere, your cell phone battery has just died, and your car won't start. Unless you've got a solar charger or a tow truck comes along, you're definitely up a creek.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

creek Creek Creeks creeks

John Quincy Adams swam in a nearby creek.

From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026

“Backing to the natural beauty of woods and a creek, the property enjoys exceptional privacy and a sense of peaceful seclusion,” the description continued.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 5, 2026

If precipitation is forecast, divers are called out to attach a barrier at the other side of the creek, creating a funnel for debris.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2026

If the Labour Party is up the creek without a paddle after last week, to revert to Yank lingo, it also finds itself in an anomalous position.

From Salon ● May 10, 2026

Again they timed their arrival at the creek for when the tide would be low.

From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins

His backer was Chicago private-equity firm Granite Creek Capital Partners, which aims to invest $10 million to $30 million in companies with at least $3 million of Ebitda, according to its website.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

In 2005, researchers uncovered a nearly complete Edmontosaurus skull in the Hell Creek Formation of eastern Montana on land managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

The duo’s last known location was at the 10,300’ level above the High Creek switchbacks at 11 a.m. on Thursday, according to the San Gorgonio Search and Rescue Team.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026

The research centers on specimens excavated from the Mazon Creek fossil beds in northern Illinois, southwest of Chicago.

From Barron's ● Jun. 18, 2026

Folks from all around will gather on the banks of Wolf Creek to picnic, play baseball, and commiserate about the dreadfully dry weather.

From "Hattie Big Sky" by Kirby Larson

Newton and Noss Creeks, Devon – a narrow tidal inlet just off the River Yealm in the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

From BBC ● Feb. 13, 2026

He would also spoof President George W. Bush and other political leaders, while remaining close to a Martin Creeks family, the Sabatines, who appeared often in his work.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 28, 2023

Fire crews were starting work on the eastern edge of the Swillup fire Wednesday while drones were expected to check for heat in the Canyon, Three Creeks, Elliot and Swillup fires.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2023

Intermarriage between Creeks and Whites also further complicated the situation.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 26, 2023

His reputation as a fierce soldier began during a hard-fought war against the Creeks, a native nation allied with the British.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

The sizable farm was previously described as being home to an abundance of wildlife—and also features multiple trails and two year-round creeks that run through the land.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 4, 2026

When Chinook salmon swim upstream from the ocean to spawn in rivers and creeks, they need cold water for their eggs to survive.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026

Along the way, the filing said, Allen recorded his appreciation for the changing landscapes, for example writing on his phone that Pennsylvania's woods resembled "vast fairy lands filled with tiny trickling creeks."

From Barron's ● Apr. 29, 2026

Friends and loved ones continued to comb the area for signs of Cynthia, searching creeks and sewer drains and putting up flyers on utility poles.

From Slate ● Apr. 6, 2026

There were all the coves and creeks where one could fish and set traps.

From "Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad" by Ann Petry