WordGarden.iocrawl
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /krˈɔːl/
US
- /ˈkrɔl/
Meanings
Verb
to move on hands and knees or with the body close to the ground
to move or progress very slowly
to be covered or filled with many moving things or people
More meaningsFewer meanings
(informal)to behave in an overly submissive way to gain favor
to automatically visit web pages to read or index them
Noun
a very slow pace or movement
a swimming stroke usually called the front crawl
Beyond the definition
Think of a baby learning to move—that's crawling. But "crawl" isn't just for little ones. It describes any slow movement close to the ground, like an insect crossing a leaf or a soldier moving low to stay hidden. It also describes slow progress: traffic might crawl during rush hour, and a "news crawl" is the line of text that moves across the bottom of a TV screen.
Figuratively, a place can be "crawling with" something, meaning it is full of it—like a picnic crawling with ants. If something makes your skin crawl, it means you feel a strong sense of disgust or fear, as if tiny insects were moving over your body. Whether it is a real movement or just a feeling, "crawl" often suggests slowness, closeness to a surface, or an uneasy reaction.
To crawl is most literally defined as moving on your hands and knees or dragging your body along the ground. This image evokes a baby exploring a room, an animal stalking prey, or a commando navigating enemy territory. It implies a slow, deliberate motion. Beyond the physical, "crawl" characterizes anything moving at a snail's pace. You will often hear that "traffic was crawling" when cars are barely moving, or watch a loading bar crawl forward during a slow download.
The word also carries a connotation of being crowded or infested. When we say a place is "crawling with" people, bugs, or activity, we mean it is swarming. This connects to the evocative idiom "to make one's skin crawl," which describes a physical reaction to something repulsive or terrifying. It mimics the sensation of many tiny legs moving over your skin, a universally unsettling thought.
In specialized contexts, "crawl" even appears in sports, technology, and everyday building talk. In swimming, the "front crawl" is a primary stroke done face-down with alternating arm strokes. In the digital world, search engines use "web crawlers" to methodically browse the internet. In a house, a "crawl space" is a low area where you may have to move on hands and knees to get around. Ultimately, to crawl can describe everything from a child's first milestones and the frustrating pace of a commute to the sudden disgust or fear you feel in a creepy moment.
Examples
- 1
Baby development
The baby started to crawl when she was about eight months old.
- 2
Tight spaces
We had to crawl under the fence to get into the field.
- 3
Slow traffic
Traffic was crawling along the highway after the accident.
- 4
Slow time
The afternoon meeting seemed to crawl by.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Tiredness
I was so tired that I just crawled into bed after dinner.
- 6
Insects
The kitchen was crawling with ants.
- Patterncrawling with + insects/small animals
full of many moving insects or small animals
- 7
Fear reaction
My skin crawled when I heard a noise outside the window.
- Phrasemy skin crawled
I felt fear or disgust
- 8
Search indexing
Search engines crawl the site every few days.
- Domainin search technology, crawl a site
scan it automatically
- 9
Humble return
He said he would never ask for help, but he came crawling back a week later.
- Phrasecome crawling back
return in a humble or embarrassed way
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- crawlnounverb
Forms
- crawling-ing formverbnoun
- crawledpast tenseverbnoun
- crawlsverbnoun