1
as in stabs
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 stimulates
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 spikes
Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2026
There’s also a 3,600W surge rating to deal with the compressor startup spikes that can trip up smaller battery systems.
—Paul Lamkin, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Gun violence spikes in the summer, when temperatures rise, like other parts of the United States, according to a 2022 study.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 24 May 2026
The officers will be deployed in 72 violence zones across all five boroughs, and hit the streets when violence historically spikes - during the evening and early morning hours.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 20 May 2026
The devices, about the size of a microwave, charge when electricity demand is low and then run the AC for a few hours when demand spikes.
—Kiki Sideris, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
That spikes inflation even more.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 12 May 2026
The tall flower spikes continuously add blooms to the tips of their elongating stems, replacing old flowers with new ones.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 May 2026
That is how hard Lancers outside hitter Sam Utu spikes the ball.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
Noun
The team identified a continuous midline feature that began as a fleshy crest along the neck and trunk and transitioned over the hips into a single row of spikes running down the tail — each spike positioned over a single vertebra and fitted to each other.
—Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
Verb
After the initial flush of early summer flowers fades, cut bloom spikes back to the foliage to encourage rebloom.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 May 2026
There’s also a 3,600W surge rating to deal with the compressor startup spikes that can trip up smaller battery systems.
—Paul Lamkin, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Gun violence spikes in the summer, when temperatures rise, like other parts of the United States, according to a 2022 study.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 24 May 2026
The officers will be deployed in 72 violence zones across all five boroughs, and hit the streets when violence historically spikes - during the evening and early morning hours.
—Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 20 May 2026
The devices, about the size of a microwave, charge when electricity demand is low and then run the AC for a few hours when demand spikes.
—Kiki Sideris, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2026
That spikes inflation even more.
—Tara Suter, The Hill, 12 May 2026
The tall flower spikes continuously add blooms to the tips of their elongating stems, replacing old flowers with new ones.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 12 May 2026
That is how hard Lancers outside hitter Sam Utu spikes the ball.
—Steve Fryer, Oc Register, 10 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spikes
Noun
-
After debuting at Coachella as an off-grounds festival experience and content playground replete with a claw machine, balloon darts, mini burgers and colorful popsicles in promotion of the brand’s Spotwear pimple patches, Rhode World will travel throughout North America and Europe this summer.—
Hikmat Mohammed,
Vogue,
1 June 2026
-
And the darts technique—which is formally called the Monte Carlo method—becomes more accurate when more random events are generated.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
The Modern Pentathlon equestrian segment is essentially an obstacle course for equestrians, who run their horses through a series of jumps and other maneuvers in as little time as possible, with the fewest mistakes.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
27 May 2026
-
The skydiving company, called Skydive West Plains, said Hubbs and Klein were experienced divers who had respectively completed roughly 800 and 900 jumps, CBS affiliate KREM reported.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
26 May 2026
Verb
-
His right-hand man, Bishop, pulls an Iago on him and stabs him in the back by emptying his bullets.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
1 June 2026
-
The shower curtain opens, revealing an old woman, who stabs and decapitates Mary.—
Therie Hendrey-Seabrook,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Heading removes the end of shoots or limbs and stimulates regrowth near the cut.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
28 May 2026
-
This stimulates native, beneficial bacteria and diverse fungi, creating natural competition that keeps the fairy ring fungus in check.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
Crossed spears of sunlight fall into it but only so far, and beneath their yellow illuminations Brith can see depths and more depths of water, darkening to obscurity.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
Asparagus is a perennial vegetable that takes a few years to produce edible spears.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
After all, those extensions that looked so good at your dinner and drinks might not prove as fun at the beach or water park.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
4 June 2026
-
Pfeiffer went to town with hair extensions, loud makeup, and snap-on veneers.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
If a foreign object punctures the tread or sidewall, your tire can deflate slowly or quickly, depending on the puncture.—
Jason Fogelson,
AJC.com,
29 May 2026
-
In worst-case scenarios, the ice punctures the hull.—
Deena Theresa,
Interesting Engineering,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Warhorses charge, lances down, crashing through the tilts as lances break on shields and men topple from their steeds.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Three or four decades ago, the newspaperman was appealingly raffish—at once a bum who drank too much and a knight-errant who charged unafraid at social injustice, succored the weak, and crossed lances with the powerful and arrogant.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spikes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spikes. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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