creep up on

phrasal verb

crept up on; creeping up on; creeps up on
informal
: to slowly and quietly move closer to (someone) without being noticed
We tried to creep up on them but they heard our footsteps.
often used figuratively
Old age creeps up on us.
The deadline had crept up on them.

Examples of creep up on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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How to age on one’s own terms has been debated for years, but fatigue with dermal filler has been slowly creeping up on the masses. Audrey Noble, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2024 Halloween is creeping up on us, but Charlotte's serving nothing but treats this week — especially for live music lovers. Mckenzie Rankin, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024 The incremental changes in his body crept up on him. Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 1 Oct. 2024 These episodes have been creeping up on me for months now. Marisol Perea, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for creep up on 

Dictionary Entries Near creep up on

Cite this Entry

“Creep up on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/creep%20up%20on. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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