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
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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
Bart Jansen, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
By the time Mercury and Mars enter your sign, your energy spikes with passion and enthusiasm.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Domestic demand for gas in Ukraine usually spikes sharply from November.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
In Arizona, mosquito season can stretch from March to October, especially after monsoon rains when humidity spikes.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Some organizations saw donation spikes up to 500 times normal levels.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
The caveat is that the comparison is to 2024, an election year, when viewership typically spikes.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2025
Consider selling high if his value spikes.
—Jake Ciely, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
When stress spikes, the idea of taking a deep breath can seem like a futile life hack.
—Juli Fraga, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
Verb
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
Noun
The White House warned that Americans should expect airport delays and disruptions if the shutdown spills into the Thanksgiving holiday, when travel historically spikes.
—Bart Jansen, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
By the time Mercury and Mars enter your sign, your energy spikes with passion and enthusiasm.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Domestic demand for gas in Ukraine usually spikes sharply from November.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 12 Oct. 2025
In Arizona, mosquito season can stretch from March to October, especially after monsoon rains when humidity spikes.
—Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 11 Oct. 2025
Some organizations saw donation spikes up to 500 times normal levels.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Oct. 2025
The caveat is that the comparison is to 2024, an election year, when viewership typically spikes.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 Oct. 2025
Consider selling high if his value spikes.
—Jake Ciely, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
When stress spikes, the idea of taking a deep breath can seem like a futile life hack.
—Juli Fraga, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spikes
Verb
-
Alex breaks free and, in a panic, repeatedly stabs Evelyn with the syringe.—
Allison DeGrushe,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Sep. 2025
-
Spike takes one of Kelson's tranquilizer darts filled with morphine and stabs Samson in the arm with it.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Regulates Appetite Magnesium stimulates the small intestine to release a hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK).—
Devineé Lingo,
Health,
22 Oct. 2025
-
This stimulates your ability to talk to others and share your feelings.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Safety Tips Since darts are involved, make sure the game is set up in a safe area.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The chicken scene generally captures the way Orlean can cast a thoughtful eye over her life’s experiences and still manage to be funny while not dismissing the darts life threw at her.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
And the Warzone battle royale mode will eventually see wall jumps added to the mix.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Beginners must log at least 50 skydives or parachute jumps, and take a six-hour First Jump Course, while those wanting a deeper dive (pun intended) can opt for an intensive three-day course.—
Taryn Shorr-Mckee,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Recounting his visit with Shelton’s body after she’d been taken off of life support in From Bleak to Dark, Maron punctures the somber scene with a joke about taking a selfie.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Officials have studied the possibility of future extensions, including along 39th Street and to the 18th and Vine historic district.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Additionally, Miami-Dade Property Appraiser records, included in Hialeah Building and Code Compliance Department files related to Garcia-Roves’s fine for city code violations, show two roof extensions.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But the show's greatest asset is its stars, whose endearing real-life friendship pierces through the play’s inherent despair.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
29 Sep. 2025
-
When a leg pierces the surface, capillary forces cause the fan to spread open within milliseconds, creating a broad paddle.—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Asparagus boasts 89 micrograms (mcg) of folate per four spears.—
Molly Burford,
Verywell Health,
17 Oct. 2025
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Or some good ol’ corn on the cob, or long broccolini spears.—
Ann Taylor Pittman,
Southern Living,
25 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spikes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spikes. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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