peek

verb

\ ˈpēk

peeked; peeking; peeks

Definition of peek

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : to look furtively A little girl peeked around the corner of the chair at him.

b : to peer through a crack or hole or from a place of concealment —often used with in or out peeked in through the window— J. M. Flaglerpeeked out at us from behind the curtains— Winifred Bambrick

2 : to take a brief look : glance peeked ahead to the next chapter to see what would happen

peek

noun

Definition of peek (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : a furtive look

2 : a brief look : glance

Synonyms & Antonyms Peek vs. Peak vs. Pique More Example Sentences Learn More about peek

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Synonyms & Antonyms for peek

Synonyms: Verb

browse, dip, glance, glimpse, glint, skim

Synonyms: Noun

cast, eye, gander, glance, glimpse, look, peep, regard, sight, view

Antonyms: Verb

gaze, stare

Peek vs. Peak vs. Pique

Peek, peak, and pique: they sound the same but mean very different things.

The first one we learn is peek: it has to do with looking, especially furtively or quickly or through a small space, as in "open the box and peek inside." It's both a noun and a verb; when you peek, you take a peek. Our advice for remembering this one is to keep in mind that you peek in order to see.

Peak is the verb you use to talk about reaching a maximum, or coming to a highest point, literally or figuratively, as in "The meteor shower will last for several days but will peak on Sunday." Its noun counterpart, which refers to various pointed or projecting parts, is more common: something that peaks reaches a peak. Just as every mountain has a peak, thinking of the peak—the highest point—is the way to remember that peak is the choice for reaching the highest levels. Associating the "a" in peak with the "a" in maximum or with a capital "A" (the most mountain-like of letters) can be helpful.

Pique is the oddball of this trio. We know the "ique" spelling from the likes of technique, antique, and unique, but pique nonetheless looks a little exotic. It comes from a French word meaning literally "to prick," but its earliest English use was as a noun. The noun is still used: a pique is a transient feeling of wounded vanity—a kind of resentment. As a verb, pique was (and still is, especially in British English) used to mean "to arouse anger or resentment in," as in "Their rudeness piqued me." Now, however, it's most often our interest or curiosity that gets piqued—that is to say, our interest or curiosity is aroused, as in "The large key hanging next on the wall piqued my curiosity."

Pique has another meaning too, though it's less common than any of those already mentioned. Pique sometimes is used to mean "to take pride in (oneself)," as in "She piques herself on her editing skills."

Master this trio, and you can pique yourself on your word skills.

Examples of peek in a Sentence

Verb

A little girl peeked around the corner of the chair at him. Close your eyes, and no peeking! She peeked ahead to the next chapter to see what happened next. He allowed some of his friends to peek at his next painting.

Noun

took a peek at her Christmas gift hidden in the closet

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Deputy Josh Tolliver peeked inside and found a pup alone in the vehicle, according to the Sheriff’s Office. — Lisa Maria Garza, orlandosentinel.com, "Hurricane Dorian: Puppy rescued by Orange deputies dubbed with storm moniker," 4 Sep. 2019 Trimble was peeking around the doorway of the bedroom, according to the review. — Kieran Nicholson, The Denver Post, "Two Aurora officers cleared in fatal shooting of armed man wearing body armor," 7 Aug. 2019 With millions of Americans peeking inside the Democrats’ unruly 2020 season for the first time, the showdown revealed deep rifts eight months before primary voting begins. — Steve Peoples, Twin Cities, "Rivals target Biden as Democrats’ rifts emerge on age, race," 28 June 2019 Of course, the Queen was likely providing a rare dose of humor, not a critique of the royal watchers clamoring to peek inside her house. — Chloe Foussianes, Town & Country, "Queen Elizabeth Reveals the One Annoying Thing About Opening Buckingham Palace to the Public," 26 Nov. 2018 After touring the galleries (admission, 75 kroner), visit the excellent bookshop and cross the brick-and-ivy courtyard to peek inside the museum’s buzzy year-old cafe, Apollo Bar. — New York Times, "36 Hours in Copenhagen," 26 Apr. 2018 Avicii: True Stories Documentary Avicii was an elusive creature, and fans thirsted for a chance to peek inside his world. — Kat Bein, Billboard, "Avicii's Most Memorable Moments: From Madonna to Arenas & More," 20 Apr. 2018 To peek inside the mansion, go through the photos in the gallery above. — Heather Leighton, Houston Chronicle, "'Sisters In Law' reality star is selling Missouri City mansion for $2,999,900," 5 Apr. 2018 To get to the bottom of things, your doc might do a routine endoscopy (a non-surgical procedure used to peek inside the body) or run a blood test. — Macaela Mackenzie, Allure, "Here's What's Causing Your Indigestion Pain — and How to Get Rid of It," 3 Apr. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

An apartment near Massachusetts General Hospital seemed promising enough, until, during a brief peek into the bedroom, a Red Line train thundered by the window. — Dugan Arnett, BostonGlobe.com, "Soul-crushing. Demoralizing. My tortured odyssey to find an apartment in Boston," 30 Aug. 2019 Follow @joannagaines for a behind-the-scenes look at it all, including a peek into our soon-to-be coffee shop. — Selena Barrientos, House Beautiful, "You’ve Got to See How Joanna Gaines Created Magnolia Market’s New Fall Display," 30 Aug. 2019 Here, Utt opens up about her process for our peek inside the habits of a creative mastermind. — Adam Rathe, Town & Country, "Before You Know It Director Hannah Pearl Utt On Learning From Failure," 30 Aug. 2019 When anything Fenty Beauty drops, there's a palpable buzz in the office, and the team swarms my desk in order to get a peek at the newest product Rihanna has blessed us with. — Glamour, "7 Women Try Fenty Beauty's New Eyebrow Pencils," 29 Aug. 2019 Pints and Pros An occasional peek inside the ice chests of San Diego’s beernogscenti. — Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, "It’s wet hop beer season. Here’s where to find these annual gems," 29 Aug. 2019 So here’s a peek at the celebration everyone will be calling the season openers. — Robert Avery, Houston Chronicle, "Pasadena ISD football programs knocking on door to victory milestone and the quest starts this weekend," 28 Aug. 2019 Based on the sneak peek NBC released ahead of the SNF open, their duet will be nothing short of incredible. — Kelly O'sullivan, Country Living, "Carrie Underwood’s 'Sunday Night Football' Theme Song Is Changing Again This Year," 28 Aug. 2019 But in a sneak peek at the interface for the new Disney+ streaming service, which debuts Nov. 12, Disney is relying on five distinct categories. — Jefferson Graham, USA TODAY, "What to expect from Disney+ streaming service: Yes, it'll include Marvel and Star Wars," 23 Aug. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'peek.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for peek

peek

verb

English Language Learners Definition of peek

: to look at someone or something secretly especially from a hidden place

: to look at something briefly

: to show slightly : to be slightly visible

See the full definition for peek in the English Language Learners Dictionary

peek

verb

peek

Definition of peek

Synonyms & Antonyms for peek

Peek vs. Peak vs. Pique

Examples of peek in a Sentence

First Known Use of peek

History and Etymology for peek

English Language Learners Definition of peek

peek

Definition of peek

Synonyms & Antonyms for peek

Peek vs. Peak vs. Pique

Examples of peek in a Sentence

First Known Use of peek

History and Etymology for peek

English Language Learners Definition of peek

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