spike 1 of 2

noun

Definition of spikenext
1
as in dart

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2
as in jump

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Dissimilar Words

spike

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to stab
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object scorpions use their stinger-equipped tails to spike their prey

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to stimulate
to give life, vigor, or spirit to he spiked what otherwise would have been a dry economic lecture with some jokes and anecdotes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of spike
Noun
Salaries are lower and expenses, especially rent, student loans and childcare, have outpaced inflation for years, even before the recent spike. — Andreina Rodriguez, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026 The reports follow a spike in threats against federal judges. — ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
That was before the war in the Middle East spiked the cost of diesel fuel and fertilizer. — Gaby Vinick, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 The cost of fertilizers, which are largely made from methane gas, the price of which spiked after the war began, has also risen sharply, contributing to higher food prices. — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for spike
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spike
  1. dart
  2. jump
  3. stab
  4. stimulate
  5. spear
  6. upturn
  7. pierce
  8. stir
Noun
  • That show sees world champion darts player Luke Littler take on 20 members of the public in single games of 501 to win £501,000 ($680,000).
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • About 30 minutes later Mourmouras struck the swordfish with a second harpoon with a detachable dart head, which works much like a flying gaff for other big gamefish species such as marlin.
    — Bob McNally, Outdoor Life, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of dart
Noun
  • Virginia’s 11-win season and ACC Championship Game appearance produced a big jump for Cavaliers faithful.
    — Manny Navarro, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • And that's a big jump from even a couple years ago in 2021, that was about 37%.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of jump
Verb
  • She had been beaten and stabbed inside her home, and her body was then placed in the trunk of her car.
    — Brett Barrouquere, Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The 33-year-old man accused of killing his mother in their family’s apartment had stabbed his parent repeatedly in the face and chest, Bronx prosecutors said Friday.
    — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of stab
Verb
  • Chan’s parents always treated their back pain from laborious food industry jobs with acupuncture and cupping, the practice of using cups or suction on the skin to stimulate blood flow and the flow of chi, or energy.
    — Cara Kelly, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Featured in over-the-counter topical products, the vitamin A derivative is found ubiquitously in anti-aging skin-care products, selected for its ability to increase cell turnover and stimulate collagen.
    — Ellie Davis, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of stimulate
Noun
  • Protective, almost — which makes sense, as its stunning chandeliers are designed to look like the shields and spears of African Masai warriors.
    — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The kitchen’s electrical oven roasts them during the daytime; they’re then chilled and served cold, with hot sauce, a ramekin of mayonnaise, and a pile of pickle spears.
    — Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of spear
Noun
  • The gentle upturn at the corners of the mouth gives Samoyeds a cheerful look, one suited to a major fashion campaign.
    — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The monthly stochastics have registered an oversold upturn, while downside momentum has started to ease per the monthly MACD histogram.
    — Katie Stockton, CNBC, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of upturn
Verb
  • Still, traces of background radioactivity sometimes break the subterranean silence, with that activity piercing through LZ’s mile of protective bedrock or even seeping out of the materials lining the detector’s walls.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The bullet pierced the restaurant glass and left a diner with a minor injury.
    — Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of pierce
Verb
  • Every corner of the hotel holds something to evoke curiosity and stir inspiration.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Roast 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once, till cauliflower and corn are tender and edges are browned, pear is soft.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of stir

Browse Nearby Words

spigots
spike
spiked
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Cite this Entry

“Spike.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spike. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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