creep in
phrasal verb.to start to happen or appear slowly and quietly, often in a way that you do not want.
phrasal verb.to begin to occur or become noticeable in a gradual, subtle, or insidious manner, often despite efforts to prevent it.
“Errors often creep in when you are tired.”
“As the meeting went on, a sense of boredom began to creep in among the staff.”
“Despite the rigorous editing process, several typographical errors managed to creep in before the final manuscript was sent to the printer.”
usually used with abstract subjects like feelings, mistakes, or doubts.
the verb 'creep' suggests a slow, quiet movement like a cat; use this image to help students understand how mistakes or feelings arrive unnoticed.
the past tense of 'creep' is 'crept', not 'creeped'.