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
Snyder already had decided to shoot nothing smaller than a six-pointer for the first five days of the season but he was tempted to take the spike. — Rich Larocco, Outdoor Life, 2 Nov. 2026 Nor is there much doubt about what has caused the spike in diesel prices. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2026
Verb
Global oil prices are spiking as the US-Iran war drags on, leading to blockbuster profits for oil companies and higher gas prices for US drivers. — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026 Horchata and cucumber-lime aguas frescas, served in plastic bags in the street cart style, can be spiked with tequila. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 30 Oct. 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
  • For all the talk of the left-handed pass, the no-look shovel, the no-look dart, the best throw Mahomes has ever made came in this game.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Members can still gather for other activities like pinochle, pool and darts.
    — Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of dart
Noun
  • That's a rather substantial jump for something that began life as a 49cc moped.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Imax quarterly numbers sailed past Wall Street forecasts with revenue of $175 million, a 64% jump, for the three months ended in September fueled by Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, the highest grossing Imax title ever.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of jump
Verb
  • Their race started off heated again in 2026, with the campaigns trading claims over Bradley’s position on the legislation named for the Ukrainian refugee fatally stabbed on Charlotte’s light rail in 2025.
    — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 4 Nov. 2026
  • On the night of March 31, 2025, Arriaga Guerrero fatally stabbed Erma Adeyemo-Azeez at her apartment complex in the 2600 block of Whisper Meadow Lane in Arlington.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of stab
Verb
  • However, understanding how brain activity differs between healthy aging and neurodegeneration could help researchers test future treatments, including techniques that stimulate the brain without surgery.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Electrodes closer to the forehead stimulate a brain region called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, associated with mood regulation (for example, calming anxiety).
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of stimulate
Noun
  • The authors said that Shanidar A’s wound may be the earliest example of an ancient human relative killed with a wooden spear.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Remnants of a wooden spear weren’t found near the Neanderthal’s remains, which is understandable since the material often decomposes so quickly.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of spear
Noun
  • Some of the $640 million in subscription and licensing revenue upturn was driven by sublicensing of World Cup rights in Spanish-speaking Latin American countries.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Improving short-term momentum and a pending oversold upturn in the SPDR S & P Retail ETF (XRT) support a short-term relief rally within the long-term uptrend.
    — , CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of upturn
Verb
  • Accumulation of food debris observed on the piercing part of can opener.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Bauer, who was working in uniform, was shot twice — with one of the bullets piercing his heart — during a robbery at Kislak National Bank, 13490 NW Seventh Ave.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of pierce
Verb
  • Though the mood at his event was mostly one of defeat, Hilton stirred the crowd with a promise to help Republicans break the Democratic supermajority in the state Legislature in 2028.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Using a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, stir and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 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 7 Nov. 2026.

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