1
as in stabbed
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
scorpions use their stinger-equipped tails to spike their prey
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in stimulated
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 spiked
Abbey Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Aug. 2025
When looking to indulge in sweet treats with spiked options, visit the Desserted Milkshake Bar on Deck 16.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2025
Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 8 Sep. 2025
Shoplifting also spiked 55% between the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2019 across the hub, according to data from the Council for Criminal Justice.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiked
Verb
What better to sip on a late summer afternoon or evening than, essentially, a spiked raspberry lemonade?
—Abbey Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 21 Aug. 2025
When looking to indulge in sweet treats with spiked options, visit the Desserted Milkshake Bar on Deck 16.
—Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
But as arrests have spiked, law enforcement agencies increasingly have detained people without any prior criminal convictions or charges, internal data show.
—Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 8 Sep. 2025
Shoplifting also spiked 55% between the first half of 2024 compared to the same period in 2019 across the hub, according to data from the Council for Criminal Justice.
—Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spiked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiked
Verb
-
Just after noon, officers from BPD and the School Police Unit responded to a report of a teen stabbed in the Roxbury high school building, spokesperson Sgt.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Frank was also found bound in the basement, stabbed multiple times in the neck and chest.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
But dogs still need ways to burn off energy and stay mentally stimulated.—
Kelsey Monstrola,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
-
For example, one study found that breast cancer cell growth was stimulated by low concentrations of genistein and inhibited by higher concentrations.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
During his two-year spell in North London, Postecoglou also reveals the decidedly spikier side to his character.—
Zak Garner-Purkis,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
-
Jasmine petals, one of my favorite floral notes, is given a spikier edge alongside Australian pink pepper, while raspberry and spun sugar add a pleasing sweetness without being too much.—
Venus Wong,
refinery29.com,
30 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Polish officials said Russian drones pierced their airspace 19 times from late Tuesday night to Wednesday morning.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
-
The morning sun barely pierced the haze over Maitighar Mandala, yet the atmosphere was electric.—
Sonal Nain,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Two developments in 1976 had stirred interest in searching for undersea freshwater.—
Rodrique Ngowi,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
-
All this has stirred some fresh thinking among Democrats about whether activists must demand that candidates agree with all of their positions, or whether victory demands more flexibility.—
David Weigel,
semafor.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Only those working at the listening station (kept separate from the rest of the compound with barbed wire and a guard shack) knew what was really going on.—
A.K. Whitney,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
-
Thailand says the barbed wire was set up to prevent the planting of mines and is on its own land.—
Matthew Tostevin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
That moment punctured the membrane between past and present for me.—
Michael Jerome Plunkett
September 5,
Literary Hub,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The squirrel’s back was punctured through the skin, but the talon marks were not deep enough to have been fatal.—
Charles Elliott,
Outdoor Life,
21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
There is nothing quite like the view from Monterey Bay—jagged coastline and evergreens framing a strip of blue.—
Beth Lew-Williams,
New Yorker,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Visitors will find themselves with jaws agape at the striking jagged mountain peaks, looming glaciers, and slick icebergs, all set to the backdrop of moody, misty weather—this is a photographer’s dream adventure.—
Stefanie Waldek,
AFAR Media,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spiked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiked. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share