Synonyms for crawl

verb

1. To move like an insect

   creep, worm along, wriggle, squirm, slither, move on hands and knees, go on hands and knees, writhe, grovel, snake, go on all fours*, worm one's way*, go on one's belly*; see also grovel.

2. To move slowly

   inch, inch along, drag, plod, hang back, poke, go at a snail's pace; see also lag 1.

crawl and creep are often used interchangeably, but crawl, in its strict usage, suggests movement by dragging the prone body along the ground a snake crawls and creep suggests movement, often furtive, on all fours the cat crept up the stairs; figuratively, crawl connotes slowness, abjectness, or servility and creep connotes slow, stealthy, or insinuating progress