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.

When Dr. Becky says to greet guilt that creeps in for not knowing this stuff, I do: “Hi, Guilt.”

From Slate • May 10, 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

This is still a relatively small number but Salesforce’s agent trajectory is an important metric as enterprise AI adoption creeps higher.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

Fittingly, the sound creates a crack in one of the home’s windows: Via that fissure, the unfolding apocalypse creeps into their lives.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Evening creeps into the quiet, foggy hours of midnight.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

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