creepy
- 01 B1 Intermediate
making you feel nervous or scared, like the feeling of something crawling on your skin.
producing a sensation of unease or fear, often associated with the macabre or the supernatural.
Simple“The old house at the end of the street looks really creepy at night.”
In context“The abandoned asylum had a creepy atmosphere that made the urban explorers regret their decision to enter after midnight.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
causing discomfort because of strange, dishonest, or unwanted behavior.
eliciting repulsion or discomfort through eccentric, intrusive, or socially inappropriate behavior.
Simple“He kept staring at me in a creepy way, so I moved to another seat.”
In context“The manager's habit of standing too close to employees was widely regarded as creepy and unprofessional.”
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
making someone feel unsafe or uncomfortable through unwanted sexual attention.
specifically denoting behavior that is perceived as sexually predatory or inappropriately suggestive.
Simple“She blocked him because he kept sending her creepy messages late at night.”
In context“The witness described a creepy individual who had been loitering near the park entrance and making suggestive comments to passersby.”
Synonymslecherouspredatory
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *grewbʰ-der. Proto-Germanic *kreupaną Proto-West Germanic *kreupan Old English crēopan Middle English crepen English creep Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz Proto-West Germanic *-g Old English -iġ Middle English -y English -y English creepy From creep + -y.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.