creep up on

Advance slowly or stealthily, as in The cat crept up on the bird, or Autumn is creeping up on us. This expression is recorded in slightly different form——from the 15th century on. One of the Hymns to the Virgin and Christ (c. 1430) has “Now age has cropen [crept] up on me ful stille.”

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Example Sentences

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Cramps can creep up on those who misjudge their pre-match routine.

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It wasn’t unusual for a hominid child to be picked up and carried away by a harpy eagle or a sabertoothed cat to creep up on a sleeping family, grab an infant and disappear into the night.

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The heat and dryness means sweat evaporates quickly, so it’s easy for dehydration to creep up on you.

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“Music can creep up on you. We want this to grow.”

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“You need to take care of these maintenance items because they’re going to creep up on you and cost you ten times as much later,” she said.

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creeps creepy

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