creeps

American

[kreeps] / krips /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

Veterinary Pathology. a disease of the bones in sheep and cattle that causes pain in walking, resulting from a deficiency of phosphorus in the diet.

creeps British

/ kriːps /

plural noun

informal a feeling of fear, repulsion, disgust, etc

"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

Etymology

Origin of creeps

So called from the effect on the animal's gait; see creep, -s ³

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.

Many pretended it wasn't happening at all, but that's harder to do as the front line creeps closer to the city.

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026

We’ve got two big threads this week: creeps in the House of Representatives and blasphemy.

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

As artificial intelligence creeps further into the workplace, employees risk getting left behind if they don’t start embracing the technology.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

“We’re leaning towards entertainment,” Jacobs says, before a wry smile creeps onto his face.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

You can get the creeps, I tell you, reading what a dead man has just written.

From "Cold Sassy Tree" by Olive Ann Burns

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