creepy
Americanadjective
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informal having or causing a sensation of repulsion, horror, or fear, as of creatures crawling on the skin
-
creeping; slow-moving
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of creepy
Explanation
Something is creepy if it feels like tiny things are crawling on you. The sensation of a spider on your arm is creepy. Ladybugs are pretty, but it still feels creepy when they crawl across your hand. Another kind of creepy feeling is something that gives you an unpleasant chill, like a creepy ghost story or the creepy sound of footsteps in your attic at night. The earliest meaning of creepy was simply "characterized by creeping," so in the 18th century you'd be creepy if you were simply tip-toeing quietly through your house.
Vocabulary lists containing creepy
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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.
See Examples For:
It may end up being the best show of 2026, deftly balancing laugh-out-loud comedy and legit creepy horror.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
A mother who sees other women as her direct competition isn’t just creepy; she’s dangerous — and the fact that, in this case, the other women are preteen girls makes it even worse.
From Salon ● Jun. 4, 2026
His homemade videos helped expand the Backrooms online mythology that derives its scares from the exploration of creepy empty spaces.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
Patterson says: "Individual brand mascots will begin to talk to us on a one-to-one level and try to persuade us to do things. It's a bit creepy, isn't it?"
From BBC ● May 13, 2026
Sheed had a similar creepy thought: that all of the doors would open at once and multiple Peteys would step onto multiple porches, waving at them in unison.
From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles
He’s creepier in person than he is on television or the Internet.
From Salon ● Jan. 4, 2024
Every year, Halloween gets bigger, earlier and creepier.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 29, 2023
“M3GAN” director Gerard Johnstone wanted to make the doll creepier than what’s seen in other horror films, like “Child’s Play.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 20, 2023
Why do creepy books feel even creepier in audio?
From New York Times ● Dec. 7, 2022
“Me either. This house is creepier than my uncle Willie’s funeral home. Lucrative business, always in demand, but creepy.”
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
Creatures such as white dragon-like birds, glowing blue sponges, bug-eyed sloths, mutant frogs, flying bunnies and the creepiest of crawlies imaginable enrich each frame with impressive detail and lively color.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2024
Finally available in the 4K disc format, it’s easily one of the creepiest films of all time.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 26, 2023
The creepiest by far is “dead men’s fingers,” Decaisnea fargesii, whose pewter-blue, fingerlike fruits stand out against butter-yellow foliage and reach out to unwary visitors.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 17, 2023
I think the creepiest character on the show might be Matt Saracusa, the adult detective who pretends to date a teen to solve a case.
From New York Times ● Apr. 21, 2023
He’s staring back at me with the creepiest grin ever on his face.
From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
