Creap vs. Creep: The Correct Spellings

To remember the spelling of "creep," consider that the word has two 'e's like "peek" or "sneak," which are also words that involve cautious or surreptitious movement. "Creap," on the other hand, could mistakenly be associated with "leap," which is quite the opposite of moving cautiously.

The word "creep" can appear in various forms such as "creeping," "crept," and "creeper." These different forms indicate either the ongoing action, the past action, or the one who performs the action of creeping.

The correct spelling of the word is "creep," and the incorrect version is "creap." The term "creep" has its origins in Old English, specifically from the word "crēopan," which means to move with the body close to the ground. This word has evolved over time and has taken on additional meanings in modern English.

Incorrect: The old floorboards would creap every time someone walked on them.

Correct: The old floorboards would creep every time someone walked on them.

Incorrect: I can hear the vines creap up the side of the house.

Correct: I can hear the vines creep up the side of the house.

Incorrect: The fog began to creap over the hills as evening fell.

Correct: The fog began to creep over the hills as evening fell.

Incorrect: He tried not to make a sound, but he accidentally let out a loud creap.

Correct: He tried not to make a sound, but he accidentally let out a loud creep.

Incorrect: She felt a shiver as she sensed something creap up behind her.

Correct: She felt a shiver as she sensed something creep up behind her.

A slow and incremental increase or change.

To move slowly and carefully, typically in order to avoid detection.

A disturbing person who makes one feel uncomfortable or frightened.

In agriculture, the ability of a plant to spread horizontally along the ground.

In engineering, the gradual deformation of a material under stress.

To move with the body close to the ground, as on hands and knees.

To move stealthily or cautiously.

To move or proceed very slowly

To grow or spread along a surface, rooting at intervals or clinging by means of suckers or tendrils.

To grow horizontally under the ground, as the rhizomes of many plants.

To slip out of place; shift gradually.

To have a tingling sensation, made by or as if by things moving stealthily

The act of creeping; a creeping motion or progress.

A slow flow of metal when under high temperature or great pressure.

A slow change in a characteristic of electronic equipment, such as a decrease in power with continued usage.

A usually unplanned and gradual shift or increase in uses or objectives away from what was originally specified or limited. Often used in combination

(Geology) The slow movement of rock debris and soil down a weathered slope.

creeps Informal A sensation of fear or repugnance, as if things were crawling on one's skin

(intransitive) To move slowly with the abdomen close to the ground.

To grow across a surface rather than upwards.

(intransitive) To move slowly and quietly in a particular direction.

(intransitive) To make small gradual changes, usually in a particular direction.

To move in a stealthy or secret manner; to move imperceptibly or clandestinely; to steal in; to insinuate itself or oneself.

To slip, or to become slightly displaced.

To move or behave with servility or exaggerated humility; to fawn.

To have a sensation as of insects creeping on the skin of the body; to crawl.

To drag in deep water with creepers, as for recovering a submarine cable.

To covertly have sex (with a person other than one's primary partner); to cheat with.

The movement of something that creeps (like worms or snails).

A relatively small gradual change, variation or deviation (from a planned value) in a measure.

A slight displacement of an object; the slight movement of something.

(uncountable) The gradual expansion or proliferation of something beyond its original goals or boundaries, considered negatively.

(publishing) In sewn books, the tendency of pages on the inside of a quire to stand out farther than those on the outside of it.

(materials science) An increase in strain with time; the gradual flow or deformation of a material under stress.

(geology) The imperceptible downslope movement of surface rock.

Someone unpleasantly strange or eccentric.

A frightening and/or disconcerting person, especially one who gives the speaker chills.

(agriculture) A barrier with small openings used to keep large animals out while allowing smaller animals to pass through.

To move along the ground, or on any other surface, on the belly, as a worm or reptile; to move as a child on the hands and knees; to crawl.

To move slowly, feebly, or timorously, as from unwillingness, fear, or weakness.

To move in a stealthy or secret manner; to move imperceptibly or clandestinely; to steal in; to insinuate itself or one's self; as, age creeps upon us.

To slip, or to become slightly displaced; as, the collodion on a negative, or a coat of varnish, may creep in drying; the quicksilver on a mirror may creep.

To move or behave with servility or exaggerated humility; to fawn; as, a creeping sycophant.

To grow, as a vine, clinging to the ground or to some other support by means of roots or rootlets, or by tendrils, along its length.

The act or process of creeping.

A distressing sensation, or sound, like that occasioned by the creeping of insects.

A slow rising of the floor of a gallery, occasioned by the pressure of incumbent strata upon the pillars or sides; a gradual movement of mining ground.

someone unpleasantly strange or eccentric

a slow longitudinal movement or deformation

a pen that is fenced so that young animals can enter but adults cannot

a slow creeping mode of locomotion (on hands and knees or dragging the body);

move slowly; in the case of people or animals with the body near the ground;

to go stealthily or furtively;

grow in such a way as to cover (a building, for example);

show submission or fear

The cat likes to creep silently towards its prey.

The way that spider can creep up walls is fascinating.

He managed to creep out of the room without being noticed.

Shadows creep along the walls as the sun sets.

You can see the ivy slowly creep over the ancient ruins.

The water began to creep higher up the beach as the tide came in.

Ghost stories often involve spirits that creep through old houses.

I get the chills when I hear the floorboards creep at night.

You shouldn't let negative thoughts creep into your mind.

He watched the snow creep up the window during the blizzard.

She has a talent for making her voice creep into a whisper.

As he read the letter, a smile began to creep across his face.

As the movie progressed, a sense of dread began to creep over me.

Inflation has a way of making prices creep up over time.

The hours seem to creep by when you're waiting for good news.

The garden snake managed to creep through the tiny crack in the fence.

He felt a creep of fear up his spine as he walked through the cemetery.

Technology tends to creep into every aspect of our lives.

Without noticing, a sense of calm began to creep over her during the meditation.

The cold can creep into your bones if you're not dressed warmly.

A slow, creeping feeling of fear.

To cause someone to feel scared or disgusted.

Allowing something to gradually happen or take effect.

To slowly cover or engulf.

The level of creepiness or eeriness something possesses.

The ability of a material to resist creeping under stress.

To cause someone to feel uneasy or frightened.

To approach someone or something stealthily.

To exit quietly or stealthily.

The movement of materials due to prolonged exposure to heat.

The gradual escalation of a project's costs over time.

To slowly start to affect or become part of something.

A gradual, almost imperceptible movement or change.

The gradual domination of one's thoughts by a particular idea or concern.

The gradual increase in the average age of a population.

The tendency for product features to increase during development, potentially complicating the product.

The phenomenon of materials expanding or contracting at night.

The slowest speed of a vehicle or machinery.

An experiment to measure a material's deformation under constant stress.

Yes, other forms of "creep" include "creeping," "crept," and "creeper," indicating either the ongoing, past, or the agentive form of creeping.

The spelling "creap" is incorrect because it deviates from the historical spelling and etymology of the word.

"Creep" is the action or the person doing the action, while "creeper" usually refers to the person or thing that is specifically designed to creep or move slowly.

In engineering, "creep" refers to the slow deformation of a material when it is under continuous stress.

In botany, "creep" refers to the ability of certain plants to spread horizontally along the ground.

The correct spelling is "creep," whereas "creap" is incorrect.

In modern parlance, "creep" can refer to a person who makes others feel uncomfortable or frightened due to their behavior.

To remember how to spell "creep," associate it with words like "peek" or "sneak," which also involve cautious movement and have two 'e's.

The word "creep" has its roots in Old English, derived from "crēopan," which refers to moving with the body close to the ground.

Yes, "creep" can also be a verb, referring to the action of moving slowly and cautiously.