as in leisurely
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the crawling pace of the narrative is really frustrating
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in creeping
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in dragging
to move slowly
the weekend traffic on the road to the beach just crawled
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in poking
to move or act slowly
the deadline is fast approaching, so this is no time to crawl
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of crawling
Juan A. Ramírez, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2026
Here, there's a skin-crawling effect to watching the story unfold onstage.
—Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Jan. 2026
In 2002, The Ring cursed VHS tapes; in 2014, Unfriended made laptops frightening; and now, in 2026, A24’s Undertone is ready to create the world’s first skin-crawling movie about a podcast.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2026
Soon Leone was crawling back to the hackerama, where his old county crony Meehan made him… General Counsel.
—Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
The memories remained from crawling across the balcony, the pounding on the chamber doors, the screams echoing through the rotunda.
—Norma Torres, Oc Register, 6 Jan. 2026
Think of it as a general return to more traditional flavors and a move toward ambiances that feel like crawling into the past.
—Sunny Hubler, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026
His fur was singed and bitten, his arm broken, and his mouth crawling with maggots.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Amazon has already taken steps in recent months to prevent external AI agents from crawling its website, including those developed by OpenAI, Google and Meta.
—Ashley Capoot,annie Palmer, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
Now, Letts has brought Coon back to Broadway with the Main Stem debut of his 1996 play Bug, a skin-crawling portrayal of people on the fringes.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for crawling
Adjective
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Fortunately, there's usually plenty of pleasant autumn days after the first frost to tackle the remaining fall gardening tasks at a more leisurely rate.—
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During November, coastal towns transform into quieter versions of themselves, offering a season for birdwatching, leisurely walks, or festivals with good music and food.—
Verb
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Grow as a creeping vine or along a trellis.—
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What’s that warmth creeping over you?—
Verb
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Kerra, the dog referenced in the video, had developed a grapefruit-sized mass on her breast tissue that was dragging on the ground and causing significant discomfort.—
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That takes nothing away, though, from the epic job Herbert did dragging the Chargers through the second half of the season.—
Verb
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Tonight, after poking the bear, this bear roared.—
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There are also dual Akrapvoic exhausts poking out the rear, framed by slim taillights.—
Verb
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First responders in Atlanta rushed to an airport runway Tuesday after an aircraft experienced a harrowing landing failure, with all eight of its landing tires bursting the moment the plane touched down, according to Fox 5 Atlanta.—
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And Johnson can’t erase the imagery of poor Cleveland Browns rookie defensive tackle Mason Graham, a top-5 pick, bursting through the B-gap at the snap only to be crushed by guard Jonah Jackson.—
Adjective
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Hoover finished 319 yards on 34-of-50 passing, but his two turnovers were critical mistakes that led to TCU’s slow start in the first half.—
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When visiting the exhibit, plan on taking your time to make the most of it, or what the American Federation of Arts calls slow looking.—
Verb
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Hydroplaning is the term for when a vehicle begins sliding uncontrollably on wet roads.—
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Or are the Seminoles at risk of sliding into irrelevance if trips to the Gator Bowl become acceptable?—
Verb
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Go on a street food tour Street food tours are great things to do in Sicily and a fabulous alternative to hours of shuffling through museums.—
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It's designed to offer a satisfying and calming shuffling motion, guided by a strong magnet and a seamless sliding track on the inside.—
Cite this Entry
“Crawling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crawling. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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