1
as in stabbing
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 stimulating
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 spiking
The Iran war has disrupted supply chains for products such as oil and fertilizer, spiking costs and putting pressure on the global economy.
—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
Road trips are having a moment this summer, with interest spiking for some of our nation’s most beloved drives and many Americans expecting to hit the open road in the coming months.
—
Dobrina Zhekova,
Travel + Leisure,
23 June 2026
The recovery has been further sidelined by Israel and the United States’ launching their February war on Iran and the consequent global shock to oil markets and spiking prices for mortgages and other types of borrowing.
—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
23 June 2026
However, in the markets, context matters — especially in periods of spiking volatility.
—
Todd Gordon,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Europe is sweltering under its second heat dome in two months, with temperatures spiking above 104 degrees Fahrenheit, bringing dangerous conditions across swaths of the planet’s fastest-warming continent.
—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
But residents who live near hyperscale centers have expressed outrage over a range of issues, including health impacts, spiking utility bills, constant noise, dropping water pressure and concerns about potentially losing their land through eminent domain.
—
Katie King,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
Global oil prices were spiking.
—
Constance Malleret,
Christian Science Monitor,
21 June 2026
On a 2022 episode of the Juicy Scoop podcast, Madison even alleged that Burns, who died in 2020, admitted to deliberately spiking the relationship.
—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 June 2026
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
30 June 2026
Road trips are having a moment this summer, with interest spiking for some of our nation’s most beloved drives and many Americans expecting to hit the open road in the coming months.
—
Dobrina Zhekova,
Travel + Leisure,
23 June 2026
The recovery has been further sidelined by Israel and the United States’ launching their February war on Iran and the consequent global shock to oil markets and spiking prices for mortgages and other types of borrowing.
—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
23 June 2026
However, in the markets, context matters — especially in periods of spiking volatility.
—
Todd Gordon,
CNBC,
23 June 2026
Europe is sweltering under its second heat dome in two months, with temperatures spiking above 104 degrees Fahrenheit, bringing dangerous conditions across swaths of the planet’s fastest-warming continent.
—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
But residents who live near hyperscale centers have expressed outrage over a range of issues, including health impacts, spiking utility bills, constant noise, dropping water pressure and concerns about potentially losing their land through eminent domain.
—
Katie King,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
Global oil prices were spiking.
—
Constance Malleret,
Christian Science Monitor,
21 June 2026
On a 2022 episode of the Juicy Scoop podcast, Madison even alleged that Burns, who died in 2020, admitted to deliberately spiking the relationship.
—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiking
Verb
-
The film centers on a New York murder trial where a teenage boy is accused of stabbing his abusive dad and a jury has the kid's fate in their hands.
-
In one instance, the suspect is accused of personally taking part in the killing by stabbing a victim in the chest with a knife, the prosecutors said.
Verb
-
The process involved suctioning the newborn's airway and stimulating him.
-
The addition of crushed silicate rock such as basalt to the soil can improve tree nutrition in two ways, either by stimulating tree growth via directly releasing nutrients into the soil, or by increasing soil PH.
Verb
-
Bryce Eldridge handled the rest, picking Schmitt’s throw out of the dirt to complete the double play.
-
The studio showed strong instincts when picking creative partners on the horror side, too.
Verb
-
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.
-
Simmer beans, stirring occasionally, until bubbling and thickened, about 5 minutes.
Verb
-
On June 3, Walden went to the hospital, where a CT scan revealed the metal bristle had become lodged in his bowel and had begun puncturing his intestine.
-
Where there’s normally carpet or hardwood floors, there are rocks, puncturing bare feet with each step.
Verb
-
The show ushered in a new era of winking, elbow-jabbing meta-musicals.
-
The audience groaned, while Vergara and Mel B screamed for Strange to stop jabbing at his partner through the box.
Verb
-
Granite cliffs piercing the sea and the sky are Acadia National Park’s most recognizable feature.
-
Her flat, piercing groundstrokes and booming serve are perfect for grass, and defending champion Świątek will need to calm down her serving roller coaster to stay in touch.
Verb
-
Working with 5 to 6 pieces at a time, remove fish from batter, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, and add to hot oil, briefly dragging fish along surface of oil to prevent sticking.
-
Many Venezuelan news reports have avoided politically delicate questions related to the earthquake, such as the widespread collapse of buildings, sticking instead to safer stories about heroic rescues.
Cite this Entry
“Spiking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiking. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
