Definition of peak
1 : a pointed or projecting part of a garment; especially : the visor of a cap or hat The cap's peak shades his eyes.
2 : promontory a steep rocky peak
3 : a sharp or pointed end the peak of a roof
4a (1) : the top of a hill or mountain ending in a point the fog hung … heavily on the peak of the hill — H. D. Skidmore (2) : a prominent mountain usually having a well-defined summitb : something resembling a mountain peak Beat the cream until it forms stiff peaks.
5a : the upper aftermost corner of a fore-and-aft sailb : the narrow part of a ship's bow or stern or the part of the hold in it
6a : the highest level or greatest degree a singer at the peak of her popularityb : a high point in a course of development especially as represented on a graph The graph shows that murders in the city reached a peak two years ago.
7 : widow's peak
From the M-W Editors
Examples of peak in a Sentence
a line of rocky peaks
the peak of the roof
The recipe says to beat the cream until it forms soft peaks.
At her peak she was writing a new novel every year.
Violence reached a peak just before the election.
The graph shows that murders in the city declined from a peak of 173 in 2004.
Recent Examples of peak from the Web
-
The Cyprus documents detail transactions that occurred in 2012 and 2013, during the peak of Mr. Manafort’s decade-long tenure as a political consultant and investor in the former Soviet republic, where his past work remains a source of controversy.
-
The appearance of white corn agnolotti is still how the peak of summer is announced in Beverly Hills.
-
The Mis-Education of Lauryn Hill was released in 1998 and my parents separated in 1999, when the album was at its peak, garnering critical and financial success and winning multiple Grammys.
-
Elsewhere at the D23 Expo, Disney gave fans a sneak peak of a new augmented reality game that features a lightsaber and a headset made by Lenovo Group Ltd.
-
Investors generally pay more attention to where stock market indexes stand when trading ends at 4 p.m. Because those markets have been setting records for months, Monday's intraday peak wasn't that notable, though the financial media reported on it.
-
The NHRA's pair of Top Fuel ageless wonders looked the peak of health Friday at Route 66 Raceway, the site of this weekend's Fallen Patriots Route 66 Nationals.
-
The peaks start near Bar Harbor in the northeast, tumble down across Jordan Pond, Somes Sound, and Echo Lake, and end with Mansell and Bernard Mountains in the southwest.
-
ISIS devoted extensive resources to the indoctrination of children in its territory, which at its peak, from mid-2014 through 2015, spanned roughly a third of Syria and Iraq and was home to between 6 million and 12 million civilians.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'peak.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of peak
perhaps alteration of pike
Synonym Discussion of peak
Other Geology Terms
anthracite, boulder, cwm, erratic, igneous, intrusive, mesa, sedimentary, silt, swale
peak
Definition of peak
intransitive verb
: to reach a maximum (as of capacity, value, or activity) —often used with out
transitive verb
: to cause to come to a peak, point, or maximum
Recent Examples of peak from the Web
-
Support for the president peaked in 2014 on a wave of patriotic feeling after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine.
-
The temperature was expected to peak at 118 degrees and calls were already coming in.
-
At Scherwood, Hanson peaked out around 50,000 rounds in 2008.
-
The broadcast peaked with a 14.9 rating from 8:15-8:30 p.m. PT.
-
The percentage of American women who kept their maiden names, according to a 2009 study, peaked at 23 percent in the 1990s, with the largest and steadiest increases occurring in the 1970s and ’80s.
-
After Russia annexed Crimea and sent troops into eastern Ukraine in 2014, the number of NATO intercepts peaked at 160 in 2015.
-
In 2016, when the number of children removed from their families peaked at over 18,000, the Arizona Community Foundation gave The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com a three-year grant to support in-depth research on the topic.
-
Horn calls peaked the enormous tutti crescendos, and Till approached his somber end with an insolent whistle from clarinet.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'peak.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of peak
see 1peak
peak
Definition of peak
: being at or reaching the maximum peak levels peak output; also : of, relating to, or being a period of maximum intensity or activity peak business hours
Examples of peak in a Sentence
The factory has been running at peak capacity for the past year.
the peak season for fishing
Recent Examples of peak from the Web
-
The bus lanes would run peak-direction during rush hour, from Arkansas Avenue in the upper Northwest area to H Street in downtown.
-
And appreciation hasn't been evenly distributed: A May report from Trulia showed that nationally, just 1 in 3 homes has recovered peak value.
-
Falcone wears chunky glasses, a dark suit with faint checks and peak lapels, and an open-necked white shirt, which exposes a medallion hanging from a strap.
-
In 2016, EBMUD reported its peak annual average in a single area was 58 ppb.
-
However, the new a.m. and p.m. peak routing will now continue on Statesville Road/ U.S. 21) south of Sam Furr Road / N.C. 73 to the Huntersville Gateway Park and Ride (Exit 23).
-
Isidore’s peak wind speed reached 120 mph before landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula.
-
Toll rates are undetermined, but the latest state studies mention a $2.50 peak afternoon rate, and $1.75 peak morning rate, to fund about $200 million in construction debt, plus tunnel maintenance.
-
Unlike states that have long since sprinted ahead, Mississippi is struggling with slow economic growth and slipping population in a place that's rarely at peak economic health.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'peak.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of peak
see 1peak
peak
Definition of peak
intransitive verb
1 : to grow thin or sickly
2 : to dwindle away
Recent Examples of peak from the Web
-
Support for the president peaked in 2014 on a wave of patriotic feeling after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine.
-
The temperature was expected to peak at 118 degrees and calls were already coming in.
-
At Scherwood, Hanson peaked out around 50,000 rounds in 2008.
-
The broadcast peaked with a 14.9 rating from 8:15-8:30 p.m. PT.
-
The percentage of American women who kept their maiden names, according to a 2009 study, peaked at 23 percent in the 1990s, with the largest and steadiest increases occurring in the 1970s and ’80s.
-
After Russia annexed Crimea and sent troops into eastern Ukraine in 2014, the number of NATO intercepts peaked at 160 in 2015.
-
In 2016, when the number of children removed from their families peaked at over 18,000, the Arizona Community Foundation gave The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com a three-year grant to support in-depth research on the topic.
-
Horn calls peaked the enormous tutti crescendos, and Till approached his somber end with an insolent whistle from clarinet.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'peak.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of peak
origin unknown
peak
Definition of peak
transitive verb
1 nautical : to set (a gaff, a yard, etc.) nearer the perpendicular
2 rowing : to hold (oars) with blades well raised
Recent Examples of peak from the Web
-
Support for the president peaked in 2014 on a wave of patriotic feeling after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine.
-
The temperature was expected to peak at 118 degrees and calls were already coming in.
-
At Scherwood, Hanson peaked out around 50,000 rounds in 2008.
-
The broadcast peaked with a 14.9 rating from 8:15-8:30 p.m. PT.
-
The percentage of American women who kept their maiden names, according to a 2009 study, peaked at 23 percent in the 1990s, with the largest and steadiest increases occurring in the 1970s and ’80s.
-
After Russia annexed Crimea and sent troops into eastern Ukraine in 2014, the number of NATO intercepts peaked at 160 in 2015.
-
In 2016, when the number of children removed from their families peaked at over 18,000, the Arizona Community Foundation gave The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com a three-year grant to support in-depth research on the topic.
-
Horn calls peaked the enormous tutti crescendos, and Till approached his somber end with an insolent whistle from clarinet.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'peak.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of peak
from apeak held vertically
PEAK Defined for English Language Learners
peak
playDefinition of peak for English Language Learners
-
: the pointed top of a mountain
-
: a tall mountain with a pointed or narrow top
-
: something that looks like a pointed top of a mountain
peak
Definition of peak for English Language Learners
-
: at the highest point or level
-
: filled with the most activity
PEAK Defined for Kids
peak
playDefinition of peak for Students
1 : a prominent mountain We saw a snowy peak rising from the plain.
2 : the pointed top of a hill or mountain I climbed all the way to the peak.
3 : a sharp or pointed end The roof rises to a peak.
4 : the highest point of development He is at the peak of his career.
Learn More about peak
-
See words that rhyme with peak Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for peak Spanish Central: Translation of peak Nglish: Translation of peak for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of peak for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up peak? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!