crawl 1 of 2

verb

ˈkrȯl How to pronounce crawl (audio)
Definition of crawlnext
1
as in to creep
to move slowly with the body close to the ground the time we had to crawl through a narrow passageway from one cave to another

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2
as in to drag
to move slowly the weekend traffic on the road to the beach just crawled

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to delay
to move or act slowly the deadline is fast approaching, so this is no time to crawl

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to burst
to be copiously supplied something must be up, as city hall is crawling with reporters

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

crawl

2 of 2

noun

as in delay

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crawl
Verb
The clock had just hit 10 am, and Arthur Leung was the kind of borderline nocturnal computer person who never crawled into the sunlight before eleven except for emergencies. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026 Which teething toy is safe for a six-month-old who is already crawling? — Usman Ilyas, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
Lift your knees a few inches off the floor into a bear-crawl position. — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 When hundreds or even thousands of residents try to leave at the same time, traffic can slow to a crawl. — Ashley Bosa, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crawl
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crawl
  1. creep
  2. drag
  3. delay
  4. burst
  5. traffic
  6. snake
  7. poke
  8. linger
Verb
  • Reconcile your accounts and review reports Even if your books are current, anomalies and errors can creep in.
    — Carson Brunson, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The tone creeps into despair as the scales fall from Sutskever’s eyes.
    — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of creep
Verb
  • Oil prices have stayed above $100 per barrel as the Middle East conflict dragged on with few signs of a diplomatic off-ramp.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • But as the weeks dragged on, and the talks between the companies continued, Ellison and his team felt that they were not being taken seriously, and that WBD was preferencing other bidders.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of drag
Verb
  • Walter Mischel, a psychologist who taught at Stanford and Columbia, conducted some of the most famous studies on delaying gratification in the late 1960s and 1970s.
    — Joan M. Cook, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Parents who addressed the board on Thursday urged the district to delay the vote and take more time to review logistics.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of delay
Verb
  • People are herby, people are lemony, people are mustardy, bursting at the taste buds with umami.
    — Raven Smith, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Walker burst free on a 76-yard run that turned the game around.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of burst
Noun
  • The steady hum of activity hits a particularly resonant pitch on the Second Sunday of each month when the street closes to vehicular traffic and becomes a European-style pedestrian mall with outdoor eateries and prancing pets on leash.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Around 12% of the world’s trade, including a fourth of global container traffic, passes through the narrows, moving between Europe and Asia via Egypt’s Suez Canal.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of traffic
Verb
  • By Wednesday afternoon, the line for visitor passes to get on base for the ship’s homecoming stretched several hundred feet, snaking across the lawn in front of the building and doubling back on itself.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Paths wind through a pebbled courtyard and stunning garden, first leading you past the hotel’s cafe, then snaking its way to the main building’s lobby.
    — Noah Kaufman, Bon Appetit Magazine, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of snake
Verb
  • From ceviche and poke to pasta and tacos, the menu revolves around the catch of the day, which is sourced from local markets.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Bellingham poked in Gordon's cross midway through the first half.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of poke
Verb
  • With their feelings for each other blossoming, the two go out for dinner, which is full of Rushville patrons with lingering hatred for Hal.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In the scene, Simon’s family speaks Kreyòl — although to varying degrees of proficiency — and the camera lingers on the Haitian feast presented on the table.
    — Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of linger

Phrases Containing crawl

Browse Nearby Words

craving
crawl
crawled
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Cite this Entry

“Crawl.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crawl. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on crawl

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about crawl

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