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
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.
Daytime high temperatures will creep up on Saturday and Sunday, reaching the low 80s across some valleys and foothills east of Interstate 15. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 July 2025 While patrolling her territory on her second day in the field, Kelsey crept up on a warthog. Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 13 June 2025 Machin, a host on the popular Redmen TV YouTube channel, remembers going to a supermarket to help prepare for his cousin’s birthday and having a sense that something was creeping up on him, but hoped that paracetamol and vitamin supplements would snuff it out. Simon Hughes, New York Times, 19 May 2025 Adidas’s pink-and-orange pair is creeping up on the popularity of Sambas, while slim sneakerinas (like the Zara pick below) have popped up on the likes of Charli XCX and Bella Hadid. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 20 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for creep up on

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Cite this Entry

“Creep up on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/creep%20up%20on. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

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