creepy

adjective

ˈkrē-pē How to pronounce creepy (audio)
Definition of creepynext
1
as in eerie
fearfully and mysteriously strange or fantastic a fascinating but creepy stage show by an offbeat magician

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disturbing
marked by or causing agitation or uncomfortable feelings a creepy aura about the abandoned farmhouse—as though something horrific had happened there

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 creepy Get to the creepy hospital’s 48th floor, where a laboratory may be able to fashion a cure for this viral outbreak turning people into the walking, running, jumping, chomping dead. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026 Disembodied hands lurk in the shadows, furniture seems to move on its own, and creepy figures pop out from unexpected hiding spots in the set (designed by Reck, Connor Hopkins, Zac Crofford and Rael). — Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 The water wheel still turns, the sound of water is constant — creepy, historic, cinematic. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026 The creepy doll left such an everlasting imprint on him that almost all of his work to this day includes at least one creepy doll figure. — Isabelle Farina, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for creepy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for creepy
  1. eerie
  2. disturbing
  3. haunting
  4. uneasy
  5. unsettling
  6. tense
  7. nervous
  8. anxious
Adjective
  • Its best parts have a grandeur that surpasses its industrial settings and gets at something eerie and transcendent.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026
  • As Bijan Robinson raced down the sideline and the rest of his Falcons teammates sprinted in pursuit, a mixture of an eerie hush and a stunned buzz fell over Caesars Superdome from a crowd still not entirely settled in its seats.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of eerie
Adjective
  • Brian had written down the recipe, and, in his back shed, Michael, with the eventual assistance of Kasey, sets about following it into strange and disturbing territory.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Artificial’s timeliness in that regard is striking, even disturbing.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of disturbing
Adjective
  • The Vegetarian by Han Kang, 208 Pages This haunting novel lures readers when a woman’s sudden decision to stop eating meat triggers a destructive crisis in her family.
    — Arabella Hau, Southern Living, 27 Sep. 2026
  • The glamorous, haunting, oh-so-theatrical love story of the legendary Baron Laurence Olivier and his equally iconic first lady, Vivien Leigh, is one filled with superlatives on both sides.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of haunting
Adjective
  • Many of the women interviewed still feel uneasy about the experience.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
  • There was some uneasy laughter, and then, what everyone else was too afraid to say came from the only person who could.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of uneasy
Adjective
  • The bill is coming due just as Volkswagen faces an unsettling commercial fact.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The whole unsettling scene was made far worse by Stephens’ reaction in the immediate aftermath of the hit.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsettling
Adjective
  • Neither starter excelled on a tense, uncommonly hot October night in downtown San Diego.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The conversation seems to turn tense when Hanks speaks face-to-face with André and security personnel block the view.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of tense
Adjective
  • Everyone was in a good mood, if a little nervous about what was going to be discussed.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Alberto Hernandez Castillo, a Cuban national with lawful permanent residence in the United States, was also acting nervous, the agent said.
    — David Goodhue October 6, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of nervous
Adjective
  • As in the thriller, anxious local leaders debated whether publicizing the peril would scare off tourists.
    — Bob Drogin, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Because of these risks, many conservation groups and lawmakers are anxious to see permanent protections.
    — Christiana Freitag, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of anxious

Browse Nearby Words

creep up
creepy
cremate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Creepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/creepy. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Luddite

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All