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creep up on

Idioms

Advance slowly or stealthily, as in The cat crept up on the bird, or Autumn is creeping up on us. This expression is recorded in slightly different form——from the 15th century on. One of the Hymns to the Virgin and Christ (c. 1430) has “Now age has cropen [crept] up on me ful stille.”

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.

Cramps can creep up on those who misjudge their pre-match routine.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2025

The heat and dryness means sweat evaporates quickly, so it’s easy for dehydration to creep up on you.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 1, 2024

“Music can creep up on you. We want this to grow.”

From Seattle Times • May 20, 2024

This is a fairly linear storytelling rap, but his approach is frisky and surprising, with lyrics that creep up on you quickly or move at a deliberately slow pace.

From New York Times • Jul. 28, 2023

“Heavens, Scipio! Did you have to creep up on me like that?” he spluttered.

From "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke

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