creeping

American  

[kree-ping] / ˈkri pɪŋ /

noun

1. Slang. the act or practice of following someone persistently or stealthily, especially online.

   Twitter and LinkedIn creeping is a normal part of my day.

---

adjective

1. advancing or developing gradually so as to infringe on or supplant something else.

   creeping inflation;

   creeping socialism.

Etymology

Origin of creeping

creep + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

I felt a creeping desire to give in and get warm, but just as I started to work out how to say that to Benitez, he calmly told me that the lynx had finally arrived.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

They have complicated relationships, but there’s nothing better for ironing things out than creeping together through dark tunnels by flashlight, hoping that nothing jumps out at you, engaging in weightless banter as you go.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

You told us they wanted to grab board seats in a creeping takeover.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

"It's a sign that more caution is creeping in and that management is still keeping an eye on how the conflict will unfold rather than aggressively expanding returns to shareholders."

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

He wouldn’t like George creeping around so late at night.

From "I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912" by Lauren Tarshis

Related Words

• climbing
• spreading