creep up
Approach without warning
To creep up is to approach gradually and stealthily, often without being noticed until close: The cat crept up on the bird.
Time, age, or feelings creep up on you when they arrive slowly and catch you off guard: Exhaustion crept up on me.
Prices or numbers creep up when they rise incrementally: Inflation has been creeping up all year.
- sidleMove furtively sideways
- sneakMove with stealth
- tiptoeWalk on foot-fronts
- on the slyIn secret manner
- encroachAdvance beyond proper limits
advance · prowl · crawl · approach · overtake · catch off guard · escalate · gain on · inch · dawn · intensify · accumulate · stalk · insidious · slither · slowly but surely · edge · deepen
- intrusionsintrusion, intrude, intruder, intruding, barging in