creep up on
phrasal verb
crept up on; creeping up on; creeps up on
informal
: to slowly and quietly move closer to (someone) without being noticed
We tried to creep up on them but they heard our footsteps.
—often used figurativelyOld age creeps up on us.
The deadline had crept up on them.
Examples of creep up on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
How to age on one’s own terms has been debated for years, but fatigue with dermal filler has been slowly creeping up on the masses.
—
Audrey Noble, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2024
Halloween is creeping up on us, but Charlotte's serving nothing but treats this week — especially for live music lovers.
—Mckenzie Rankin, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
The incremental changes in his body crept up on him.
—Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 1 Oct. 2024
These episodes have been creeping up on me for months now.
—Marisol Perea, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for creep up on 
Audrey Noble, Vogue, 21 Oct. 2024
Halloween is creeping up on us, but Charlotte's serving nothing but treats this week — especially for live music lovers.
—Mckenzie Rankin, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
The incremental changes in his body crept up on him.
—Kristen Jordan Shamus, Detroit Free Press, 1 Oct. 2024
These episodes have been creeping up on me for months now.
—Marisol Perea, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for creep up on
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'creep up on.' 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
“Creep up on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/creep%20up%20on. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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