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
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
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Recent Examples of spiked
Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 5 Feb. 2026
Concertgoers at the United Center should instead stick to sugary, spiked beverages loaded with hard liquor, because those are well known to settle the stomach, quiet the masses and minimize hospital visits.
—Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
According to the New York Times, car rental reservations jumped 3,000% and Airbnb searches spiked 1,000% for the event.
—Ryan Craggs, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spiked
Adjective
In 2018, the company had a viral moment when Catherine’s sister-in-law, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, wore their jeans at a public event, setting off a frenzy that spiked demand and overwhelmed the tiny operation of around 20 employees at the time.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 5 Feb. 2026
Concertgoers at the United Center should instead stick to sugary, spiked beverages loaded with hard liquor, because those are well known to settle the stomach, quiet the masses and minimize hospital visits.
—Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2026
Verb
Perhaps inspired by Dinesen’s age and resilience or by the ancient city around him, it’s imbued throughout with admiration for what is very old, spiked everywhere with skeptical humor that somehow doesn’t diminish that admiration.
—Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
According to the New York Times, car rental reservations jumped 3,000% and Airbnb searches spiked 1,000% for the event.
—Ryan Craggs, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spiked
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiked
Adjective
-
Some are silky, some are spikey, and some — like the one worn by stately maidservant Hero, played by Emma Corrin — look like handkerchiefs delicately dropped from a great height onto the head of its wearer.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
5 Dec. 2025
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The tool features a base and lid designed with sharp, spikey teeth to effortlessly shred through pieces of chicken in seconds.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
28 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Brockton Police arrested a man who allegedly stabbed a co-worker at Wollaston Alloys Monday night.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
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A student was even stabbed at a school after the system didn't detect a 7-inch knife.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Suckers can be stimulated to grow for a variety of reasons, such as the vigor of a plant’s root system in situations where the plant is grafted (as many non-native witchhazels and tree cultivars are).—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Feb. 2026
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Economic shifts and declining cost curves have stimulated clean energy in a way that rules could not have done alone.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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These corporations are enabling violence on the streets and death behind barbed wire.—
Robert B. Reich,
Hartford Courant,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Reams of barbed wire gathered from the fields around Penpont were fashioned into a mesh curtain whose ends wrapped around two columns at the top of the museum’s grand staircase; the result was both alluring and forbidding.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Williams introduces us to a woman who is pierced by the clarity of her vision.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Raha was one of them, killed by a bullet that pierced her lungs.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
That look stirred me and made my heart jump.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Like natural peanut butter, tahini should be stirred before being used.—
Faye Levy,
Oc Register,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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These handheld masterpieces may come with jagged edges and some discrepancy in hole size, but the flavor and texture are perfect every time.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
5 Feb. 2026
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Located in Jackson Hole, this serene landscape is home to glistening lakes, jagged terrain, and beautiful moose, mule deer, bison, and elk.—
Giovanna Caravetta,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, researchers at Texas A&M University created a dynamic material that repairs itself after being punctured by shifting from a solid to a liquid state and back again.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
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The episode has punctured Preckwinkle’s reputation for managerial skill — a primary reason this page has endorsed her in previous elections despite some disagreements with other aspects of her record.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spiked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiked. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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