Standard Lemma guide

crawly

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • homophone: Crawley
  • CMU ARPABET: K R AO1 L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Crawling around.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1969-1970, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure Another out-of-site thing is in the 2 yrs I've known that place no-one has ever seen a crawly bug, only flies. Not even a spider.
  • a crawly insect

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

As if covered in moving things such as insects.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • a crawly sensation

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From crawl + -y.