creep
verb (used without object)
to move slowly with the body close to the ground, as a reptile or an insect, or a person on hands and knees.
was creeping
-
past progressiveof creep.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
It was September 2021, and the fall chill was creeping in.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2025
The sun was creeping over the San Gabriel Mountains, shining like death off the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
From Slate ● Jun. 10, 2025
“I didn’t even realize it … but my shoulder was creeping so I could see,” France said.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 23, 2023
The report was meant to tell the French public that the open display of religion was creeping into schools, contravening the doctrine of laïcité - the French concept of strict secularism in the public space.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2023
Lost in thought, he did not immediately register the unnatural chill that was creeping over him, as if he were descending into fog.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
