Word
crawl
To crawl means to move forward slowly on hands and knees or close to the ground.
Meanings
to move on hands and knees or with the body close to the ground
to move very slowly
a slow movement or a style of swimming in which you move slowly
Definition
To crawl is to move forward slowly, usually with your body close to the ground and using your hands and knees. Babies often crawl before they can walk, and adults may crawl through tight spaces. The word can also describe something moving very slowly, such as traffic or a computer process.
Examples
- We crawled through the narrow tunnel, keeping our backpacks ahead of us.
- She watched her baby crawl across the rug and reach for the remote.
- After the storm, traffic crawled along the coastal road for miles.
- I had to crawl under the desk to plug my laptop charger back in.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse crawl with creep; crawl usually involves moving on hands and knees or close to the ground, not quiet tiptoeing.
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More verbs
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