That's a great question, Mystique, because we use the word 'creepy' a lot. Creepy and scary are close in meaning but they carry different shades of feeling.
Basic Difference:
Scary = something that causes fear — often sudden or intense.
Creepy = something that makes you feel uncomfortable, uneasy, or gives you the chills — often slow and subtle.
SCARY = Immediate fear. You want to run away.
Used for: horror movies, loud noises, dangerous people.
Examples:
“The man had a knife. He was scary.”
“That haunted house was really scary.”
It’s more about danger or threat.
CREEPY = Makes your skin crawl. You feel weird or disgusted.
Used for: strange behavior, staring, being too close, weird smiling.
Examples:
“The man kept staring without blinking. He was creepy.”
“He stood too close and whispered in a weird voice. Creepy.”
It’s more about weirdness or disturbing behavior, not direct danger.
I hope that helps.