English Reference
Verb

crept

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˈkɹɛpt/ UK /kɹˈɛpt/ crept

v.the past tense of creep. It means you moved slowly and quietly so that nobody would hear or see you.

v.past tense and past participle of 'creep'; refers to moving slowly, quietly, and close to the ground to avoid detection.


SIMPLE

The cat crept through the tall grass toward the bird.

CONTEXTUAL

He crept out of the house at midnight, careful not to wake his sleeping parents.

COMPLEX

As the fog rolled in, a sense of unease crept over the small coastal village, silencing the usual evening chatter.

Usage

Intransitive verb; often followed by a prepositional phrase of direction (e.g., 'into', 'out of', 'along').

Pitfall
He creeped into the room.He crept into the room.

The verb 'creep' is irregular; the past tense is 'crept', not 'creeped'.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated