peek

1 of 2

verb

peeked; peeking; peeks

intransitive verb

1
a
: to look furtively
A little girl peeked around the corner of the chair at him.
b
: to peer through a crack or hole or from a place of concealment
often used with in or out
peeked in through the windowJ. M. Flagler
peeked out at us from behind the curtainsWinifred Bambrick
2
: to take a brief look : glance
peeked ahead to the next chapter to see what would happen

peek

2 of 2

noun

1
: a furtive look
2
: a brief look : glance

Did you know?

Peek vs. Peak vs. Pique

Peek, peak, and pique: they sound the same but mean very different things.

The first one we learn is peek: it has to do with looking, especially furtively or quickly or through a small space, as in "open the box and peek inside." It's both a noun and a verb; when you peek, you take a peek. Our advice for remembering this one is to keep in mind that you peek in order to see.

Peak is the verb you use to talk about reaching a maximum, or coming to a highest point, literally or figuratively, as in "The meteor shower will last for several days but will peak on Sunday." Its noun counterpart, which refers to various pointed or projecting parts, is more common: something that peaks reaches a peak. Just as every mountain has a peak, thinking of the peak—the highest point—is the way to remember that peak is the choice for reaching the highest levels. Associating the "a" in peak with the "a" in maximum or with a capital "A" (the most mountain-like of letters) can be helpful.

Pique is the oddball of this trio. We know the "ique" spelling from the likes of technique, antique, and unique, but pique nonetheless looks a little exotic. It comes from a French word meaning literally "to prick," but its earliest English use was as a noun. The noun is still used: a pique is a transient feeling of wounded vanity—a kind of resentment. As a verb, pique was (and still is, especially in British English) used to mean "to arouse anger or resentment in," as in "Their rudeness piqued me." Now, however, it's most often our interest or curiosity that gets piqued—that is to say, our interest or curiosity is aroused, as in "The large key hanging next on the wall piqued my curiosity."

Pique has another meaning too, though it's less common than any of those already mentioned. Pique sometimes is used to mean "to take pride in (oneself)," as in "She piques herself on her editing skills."

Master this trio, and you can pique yourself on your word skills.

Examples of peek in a Sentence

Verb A little girl peeked around the corner of the chair at him. Close your eyes, and no peeking! She peeked ahead to the next chapter to see what happened next. He allowed some of his friends to peek at his next painting. Noun took a peek at her Christmas gift hidden in the closet
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Big red dog, timid and adorable, peeking between the buildings. Devin Kelly, Longreads, 7 Mar. 2024 Nigerian actress Temi Otedola oozed the mystery of a film noir femme fatale in a floor-length black coat, tightly cinched with the lacy hint of a negligee peeking out beneath. Ian Malone, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024 On LinkedIn, the people who pay for a subscription get more complete access to data on who’s peeking; most people can only see a couple of their recent viewers, but paid users get a full list of everyone who has looked at their profile in the past year. Justin Pot, WIRED, 3 Mar. 2024 Wyze camera breach may have let 13,000 customers peek into others' homes Kate Gibson Kate Gibson is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch in New York. Kate Gibson, CBS News, 23 Feb. 2024 From the harsh climates of the Arctic tundra to the lush jungles of South America and the uncharted depths of the ocean, the series unveils the natural world's most captivating wonders across 11 episodes, each providing a behind-the-scenes peek into its production challenges. Briana Richert, James Mercadante, EW.com, 19 Feb. 2024 This can be accomplished by walking down creeks and peeking into ponds or by floating creeks and rivers in a kayak or canoe, hugging the insides of turns, and hoping to float close enough to get good shots. Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 15 Feb. 2024 She’s also seen wearing a cropped white tee, black low-rise pants and a black G-string that peeks above her pants. Charna Flam, Peoplemag, 2 Feb. 2024 Richie Grainge riffed on traditional suiting in a black off-the-shoulder jacket, left unbuttoned at the bottom to allow her stomach to ever so slightly peek out. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 2 Feb. 2024
Noun
Dolly also shared several food photos from the book — like of crème brûlée, biscuits, and a string bean-mushroom casserole — giving readers a peek at what to expect when the book is released in the fall. Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 7 Mar. 2024 Glass also gave the audience a peek into his own listening habits. Ariel Shapiro, The Verge, 7 Mar. 2024 After months of relentless cold weather, take a peek outside: Spring is on the horizon! Alex Kessler, Vogue, 4 Mar. 2024 The trailer gives a peek at Jordan, who performs under the moniker Snail Mail, making her feature film debut as Tara, one-half of the Pink Opaque duo, and contributes an original song for the film’s soundtrack. Tatiana Tenreyro, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2024 Today, a peek at the Supreme Court's view in a case that could have major implications for social media, plus what a Palestinian resignation might mean for the future of Gaza, and how several debates in Congress could affect your wallet. Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024 This showstopper, of course, is also not for sale but certainly deserving of a peek or a pic. Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 7 Feb. 2024 The condo building peeks above its neighbors but doesn’t overwhelm the block. Amy Worden, Washington Post, 7 Feb. 2024 The Brandywine resident’s son tried out a different winning strategy on his most recent lottery run by taking a peek at someone else’s Pick 5 ticket, according to a Feb. 22 Maryland Lottery news release. Makiya Seminera, Miami Herald, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'peek.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English piken

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1636, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of peek was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near peek

Cite this Entry

“Peek.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peek. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

peek

verb
ˈpēk
1
: to look cautiously or briefly
2
: to look through a crack or hole or from a hiding place
peek noun

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