creepy-crawly
noun
informal
: an unpleasant worm, insect, or spider
a basement full of creepy-crawlies
Examples of creepy-crawly in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The creepy-crawly creatures measure approximately 1.5 inches long, and have a life span of one to three years.
—
Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 28 May 2024
In what appears to be a dream, a creepy-crawly form is seen moving under the skin of Jakub’s face, its pedipalps first making an abortive attempt to exit via his nostrils before a sizeable spider emerges from his mouth.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2024
The show starts with a full-on World War II flashback, complete with a crashing battleship and some number of creepy-crawly creatures.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Dec. 2023
The air conditioning system is out of date, the bathrooms are cramped, and the occasional creepy-crawly has been known to drop by unannounced.
—Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 11 Dec. 2023
David Hu, a Georgia Institute of Technology engineering professor focused on fire ant raft constructions during flooding, recently likened the insects to neurons in one big, creepy-crawly brain while speaking to NPR on the subject.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2023
The creepy-crawly contest is at the center of the annual Woolly Worm Festival, a fiercely popular local event that’s been going on for nearly half a century.
—Corey Buhay, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Oct. 2023
The black creepy-crawly stands out against the orange to spook visitors of all ages.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2023
The creepy-crawly saga started in January 2021, when the woman began suffering from abdominal pain, diarrhea, night sweats and a dry cough, according to a statement from the Australian National University.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Aug. 2023
Brianna Taylor, Sacramento Bee, 28 May 2024
In what appears to be a dream, a creepy-crawly form is seen moving under the skin of Jakub’s face, its pedipalps first making an abortive attempt to exit via his nostrils before a sizeable spider emerges from his mouth.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2024
The show starts with a full-on World War II flashback, complete with a crashing battleship and some number of creepy-crawly creatures.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Dec. 2023
The air conditioning system is out of date, the bathrooms are cramped, and the occasional creepy-crawly has been known to drop by unannounced.
—Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, 11 Dec. 2023
David Hu, a Georgia Institute of Technology engineering professor focused on fire ant raft constructions during flooding, recently likened the insects to neurons in one big, creepy-crawly brain while speaking to NPR on the subject.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2023
The creepy-crawly contest is at the center of the annual Woolly Worm Festival, a fiercely popular local event that’s been going on for nearly half a century.
—Corey Buhay, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Oct. 2023
The black creepy-crawly stands out against the orange to spook visitors of all ages.
—Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2023
The creepy-crawly saga started in January 2021, when the woman began suffering from abdominal pain, diarrhea, night sweats and a dry cough, according to a statement from the Australian National University.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'creepy-crawly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Creepy-crawly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/creepy-crawly. Accessed 8 Jun. 2024.
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