creeping

/ˈkriːpɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkriːpɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkrē-piŋ/ (ame, mw)

creeping — adjective

  • creepingpositive
  • more creepingcomparative
  • most creepingsuperlative

1. spreading, getting stronger, or moving forward bit by bit, often so slowly that

1.形容詞B2
釋義

spreading, getting stronger, or moving forward bit by bit, often so slowly that people only notice after some time

例句

A creeping crack ran above Ishaan's bedroom door after the storm.

attributive: creeping + damage noun

By spring, creeping damp had reached the boxes under Sirin's bed.

collocation: creeping damp

同義詞
  • gradual

    more neutral and general; it focuses on pace rather than spread or hidden growth

  • slow

    plainer and broader; it does not suggest that something is quietly spreading

  • steady

    emphasizes continuous progress at a regular pace, not a quiet advance

  • insidious

    stronger and more negative; it suggests hidden harm rather than simple gradual movement

反義詞
  • sudden

    happening all at once instead of little by little

  • rapid

    moving or developing quickly rather than slowly

  • abrupt

    changing sharply and unexpectedly, without a gradual build-up

文法句型

creeping + noun

be + creeping

用法筆記

Most often used before nouns for problems, feelings, damage, prices, or plants that spread little by little. It often suggests that the change is hard to notice at first and sometimes carries a negative tone, as in 'creeping fear' or 'creeping inflation'.

常見錯誤

❌We are worried about the creepy rise in rent.
✅We are worried about the creeping rise in rent.
💡'creeping' describes a gradual increase, while 'creepy' means strange or frightening.