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Synonyms

creepy

American  
[kree-pee] / ˈkri pi /

adjective

creepier, creepiest

  1. having or causing a creeping sensation of the skin, as from horror or fear.

    a creepy ghost story.

  2. that creeps: creep.

    a creepy insect.

  3. Slang. of, relating to, or characteristic of a person who is a creep; creep; obnoxious; weird.

creepy British  
/ ˈkriːpɪ /

adjective

  1. informal having or causing a sensation of repulsion, horror, or fear, as of creatures crawling on the skin

  2. creeping; slow-moving

"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

Other Word Forms

  • creepily adverb
  • creepiness noun

Etymology

Origin of creepy

First recorded in 1825–35; creep + -y 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.

Not to be creepy about it or anything.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

Like, “Oh no, now I’m the creepy freak. I’m sorry, Jack Black.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

Like teens in a creepy house the software sub-sectors are being taken out methodically, one by one.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 13, 2026

"These things were really creepy, but really quite interesting as well," Kidd said.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

The creepy old Bottle Tree forest stood in front of me, its canopy creating the illusion of a tunnel.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

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.