crawling: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1Neutral to informal; formal in technical contexts (e.g., web crawling).
Quick answer
What does “crawling” mean?
The act of moving on hands and knees, or moving very slowly.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of moving on hands and knees, or moving very slowly.
Used to describe an overwhelming presence of something (e.g., "crawling with police") or a slow, steady movement like a queue.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. 'Crawling' as an adjective meaning "very busy/full" ("The pub was crawling") is more common in UK informal speech.
Connotations
Negative when describing infestation ("crawling with lice"). Neutral for movement.
Frequency
Both dialects use it similarly. 'Web crawling' is a universal tech term.
Grammar
How to Use “crawling” in a Sentence
[place] is crawling with [people/insects][subject] is crawling [prep. phrase][subject] began crawlingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “crawling” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The baby is crawling towards the sofa.
- The queue was crawling along at a snail's pace.
American English
- Traffic was crawling on the interstate.
- He started crawling after his physical therapy.
adverb
British English
- The car moved crawling slow through the village.
- (Rare as adverb; usually 'at a crawl')
American English
- The line went crawling by as we waited.
- (Rare; 'crawlingly' is very uncommon)
adjective
British English
- The floor was crawling with ants after the picnic.
- The club was absolutely crawling by midnight.
American English
- The old cabin was crawling with spiders.
- The website is protected from crawling bots.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in 'web crawling' for data mining.
Academic
Used in biology (infant development, entomology) and computer science.
Everyday
Common for describing traffic, babies, or unpleasant infestations.
Technical
In computing: 'web crawler', 'crawling bots'.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “crawling”
- Using 'crawling' for snake movement (use 'slithering'). Overusing for generic slow movement without the low-to-ground connotation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It describes any slow, laborious movement (traffic, progress) and metaphorically an overwhelming presence.
'Crawling' typically involves the body close to the ground (hands and knees). 'Creeping' implies moving slowly and quietly, often stealthily, and can be upright (plants creep).
Rarely. It's neutral for baby development or tech, but often negative for infestations or frustratingly slow movement.
Yes, informally, meaning moving very slowly, especially when exhausted.
The act of moving on hands and knees, or moving very slowly.
Crawling is usually neutral to informal; formal in technical contexts (e.g., web crawling). in register.
Crawling: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkrɔː.lɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkrɑː.lɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “crawling with (people/things)”
- “make one's skin crawl”
- “crawl back (to someone)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
A baby **CRAWLS** on the ground like a tiny **CRAWLING** creature.
Conceptual Metaphor
SLOW MOVEMENT IS CRAWLING; OVERWHELMING PRESENCE IS CRAWLING.
Practice
Quiz
In computing, what does 'crawling' typically refer to?