creep up on
Present Participle
creeping up on
Past Tense
crept up on
Past Participle
crept up on
1
to move slowly and gradually toward someone or something without being noticed
- Trying not to spoil the surprise, Sarah had to carefully creep up on her friend's house to join the birthday celebration unnoticed.
- The spy needed to infiltrate the enemy base, so he meticulously planned to creep up on the guards, avoiding any detection.
- As the hikers remained silent, they witnessed a deer silently creeping up on them in the dense forest, showcasing the beauty of wildlife encounters.
- The mischievous kids crept up on their sleeping friend, to scare him by hiding in the shadows and waiting for the perfect moment.
2
(of a date or an event) to come or happen sooner than one was expecting
- The deadline for the project crept up on us, catching us by surprise.
- As the exam date crept up on the students, they realized the need for focused preparation.
- With the wedding creeping up on them, the couple had a lot of last-minute preparations to complete.
- The due date for the college application crept up on the high school seniors, prompting a flurry of activity in the final weeks.
3
to gradually experience a feeling, state, etc. in a more clear and noticeable manner
- As he celebrated his 40th birthday, the awareness of getting older crept up on him, and he reflected on the passing of time.
- The financial difficulties started to creep up on her after months of overspending, and she suddenly found herself in a tight situation.
- The stress of meeting deadlines and handling increasing workloads crept up on the employees, leading to a collective feeling of exhaustion in the office.