crawl off

USAGE SUMMARY

"crawl off" is a valid expression in written English.
You can use it to describe the physical act of leaving a location, usually on hands and knees, in order to avoid attention or to hide in a quickly and discretely. For example, "The cat quickly crawled off the bed when it heard footsteps coming towards the bedroom."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

I also thought of buying one from the Internet, but if you take a turtle and put it in a pond, it will crawl off and go where it wants to go.

The New York Times

"I ended up having to get out of my [wheel]chair, sit on the floor, which is not a terribly pleasant place to sit, throw my chair off the train and then crawl off," she recalled.

The Guardian - Sport

Perhaps because eyes have so many more nerves than other parts of the body, they can hurt so much that all a sufferer wants to do is to crawl off in a corner and close them.

Los Angeles Times

Cornyn reminds that he'd also repeal the health care bill, and Obama's "aggressive agenda" to aggressively attempt to prevent more Americans for having to crawl off in the woods to die penniless because they happened to get sick, which is the "center right" thing to do.

Huffington Post

Being too hot or too cold will make studying hard and you'll be tempted to crawl off to somewhere more comfortable.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

As she crawls off, he continues dancing, and his obliviousness is funny but also disturbing.

The New York Times - Arts

They've just crawled off into a corner and infiltrated television.

The New York Times

When they crawled off in tears, he'd return them to the ice.

The New Yorker

The motorcade crawled off toward the cemetery, and the streets of Bedford-Stuyvesant slowly emptied out.

The New York Times

Then he crawled off through the weeds and disappeared into the trees, leaving Lee alone to watch the farm.

The New Yorker

Always dead — or else weak and sleepy, crawling off to a permanent halt behind the chest of drawers.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "crawl off" to vividly describe someone leaving a place on their hands and knees, suggesting weakness, stealth, or a desire to avoid attention.

Common error

Avoid using "crawl off" in formal writing or professional settings where a more dignified or neutral term like "retire", "withdraw", or "leave" would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrasal verb "crawl off" functions primarily as a verb of motion, describing a specific way of moving or leaving a place. It emphasizes the manner of departure, often implying weakness, stealth, or a desire to avoid attention. Ludwig confirms this usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "crawl off" is a phrasal verb that vividly describes leaving a place by crawling, often suggesting weakness, stealth, or a desire to avoid attention. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically sound and is often used in news articles and informal writing. While less common in formal or academic contexts, it effectively conveys a specific manner of departure. Remember to use more formal alternatives like "withdraw" or "retreat" depending on your target audience and the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slip away

Implies a quiet, unnoticed departure, often to avoid something.

sneak away

Suggests leaving secretly or without permission.

retreat

More formal, indicating a strategic withdrawal from a position.

withdraw

Similar to "retreat" but can also apply to removing oneself from a situation.

edge away

Implies a gradual and cautious movement away from something.

move away

A general term for leaving a location; lacks the specific connotation of crawling.

back away

Suggests moving backward, often out of fear or caution.

abscond

A more formal term for leaving secretly, often with something valuable.

flee

Implies a rapid departure, often from danger.

escape

Suggests breaking free from confinement or a difficult situation.

FAQs

How can I use "crawl off" in a sentence?

You can use "crawl off" to describe someone leaving a place on their hands and knees. For example, "After the exhausting race, he could only "crawl off" the track."

What does it mean to "crawl off"?

To "crawl off" means to leave a place by crawling, often indicating weakness, stealth, or a desire to avoid being seen.

Which is a more formal way to say "crawl off"?

More formal ways to express the idea of "crawl off" include "withdraw", "retreat", or simply "leave", depending on the context.

What is the difference between "crawl off" and "walk off"?

"Crawl off" implies moving on hands and knees, usually due to weakness or a need for stealth. "Walk off" simply means to "walk away", without the added implication of being debilitated or secretive.