# creep over

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/creep-over
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to slowly start to feel a certain emotion or sensation. You use this when a feeling grows on you gradually until you notice it.

For teachers: to gradually begin to affect or be perceived by someone, typically in reference to a physical sensation or an emotional state. This phrasal verb is intransitive when describing a feeling spreading across a person.

## Examples

- A feeling of fear began to creep over her.
- As the sun set and the temperature dropped, a sudden chill started to creep over the hikers.
- A sense of profound exhaustion began to creep over the exhausted surgeon as the final operation of the night concluded.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The sadness crept over to me." but "The sadness crept over me." — the particle 'over' functions as the preposition here, so adding 'to' is redundant and incorrect.

## Usage notes

- usually used with abstract nouns like 'dread', 'tiredness', 'silence', or 'cold'.
- Teaching tip: the verb 'creep' implies a slow, stealthy movement; help students visualize the feeling moving like a slow-moving mist or a quiet animal.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.