In a manner that makes creaking sounds, as if something is bending or straining under pressure.
From 'creak' (Middle English, imitative origin) plus the adverbial suffix '-ingly', meaning 'in the manner of'. The base word likely originated from Old Norse or similar Germanic sources imitating the sound itself.
The word perfectly demonstrates onomatopoeia—language literally mimicking reality—because 'creak' sounds like the noise itself, and adding '-ingly' lets us describe how something moves while making that sound, like an old ship's hull in a storm.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.