creepy-crawly

American  

[kree-pee-kraw-lee] / ˈkri piˈkrɔ li /

noun

plural

creepy-crawlies

1. a creeping or crawling animal, especially an insect.

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adjective

creepy-crawlier, creepy-crawliest

1. creepy.

creepy-crawly British  

noun

1. a small crawling creature

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adjective

1. feeling or causing a sensation as of creatures crawling on one's skin

Etymology

Origin of creepy-crawly

First recorded in 1855–60; creep, crawl ¹, -y ¹

Example Sentences

“I surely am. I don’t much like being around a dead animal, never mind a dead person. Just thinking about it makes my skin feel creepy-crawly all over.”

From Literature

Then there was the playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a winner for “Appropriate,” rocking a cicada brooch tie, a nod to one of the production’s creepy-crawly motifs.

From New York Times

Another creepy-crawly music moment is when M3GAN sings an original song, written by Willis and Johnstone, called “Tell Me Your Dreams.”

From Los Angeles Times

Finally, Trey manages to trap the creepy-crawly under a glass jar, and Smith shrieks while sliding a piece of paper between the eight-legged creature and the hardwood floor.

From Los Angeles Times

“We applied this effect called UV Crawl, which is a texture movement along the vines of Vecna’s body to give it this eerie sense of creepy-crawly vine movement,” says Maher.

From Los Angeles Times