creepy crawlies

plural of creepy-crawly

/ˈkripi ˈkrɔliz/
noun
  1. Small insects, spiders, or other creatures that move in a way that makes people feel frightened or uncomfortable.
    • The old shed was full of creepy-crawlies like spiders and centipedes.
    • My little sister screams whenever she sees any creepy-crawlies in the garden.
    • Camping at night means you might encounter a few creepy-crawlies in your tent.
  2. A feeling of fear or disgust, as if small creatures are crawling on your skin.
    • Walking through that dark, damp tunnel gave me the creepy-crawlies.
    • The thought of touching a slug gives me the creepy-crawlies.
    • That horror movie gave everyone in the theater the creepy-crawlies.
Synonyms
What does "creepy crawlies" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean