creak

1 of 2

verb

creaked; creaking; creaks

intransitive verb

: to make a prolonged grating or squeaking sound often as a result of being worn-out
also : to proceed slowly with or as if with creaking wheels
the story creaks along to a dull conclusion

creak

2 of 2

noun

: a rasping or grating noise

Examples of creak in a Sentence

Verb The old floorboards creaked under our feet. The porch roof creaked with the heavy weight of the snow. Noun the creak of a floorboard
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Looming over everything is the unyielding passage of time, from the quickly dwindling daylight to the players’ creaking knees. Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025 Hearts and minds creak open and snap shut over time, typically with forceful nudges. Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 3 Feb. 2025
Noun
The boat moves and creaks, the sails flutter in the wind, and the crew gives a lusty hurrah as the course is set for Singapore. John Bleasdale, Variety, 21 Feb. 2025 Gracey gets an astonishing amount across in the details: the goofy creak of a leather jumpsuit, a camera angle tilted to show the utterly unspectacular pulley system that yanked Williams upside-down in front of a crowd of 125,000. Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for creak

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English creken to croak, of imitative origin

First Known Use

Verb

1583, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1604, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of creak was in 1583

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Cite this Entry

“Creak.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/creak. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

creak

verb
ˈkrēk
: to make a long scraping or squeaking sound
also : to go slowly with or as if with creaking wheels
creak noun

More from Merriam-Webster on creak

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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