Synonyms

creeping

American

[kree-ping] / ˈkri pɪŋ /

noun

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

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

adjective

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"When everything feels urgent in January, having a clear system helps you focus on what truly matters and prevents overwhelm from creeping in early in the year."

From BBC

The customer shifts, heat creeping up their neck, as another shopper drifts into the line behind them.

From Salon

To be fair, some people are creeping back to the office because they missed it.

From The Wall Street Journal

The unemployment rate has been creeping up since June.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The temperature drops and the relative humidity goes up, the winds die down, flames drop to the ground and it starts creeping along,” Hanson said.

From Los Angeles Times

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