Peek vs Peak | Difference, Meaning & Spelling
Peek means to “look at something quickly,” while a peak is the highest point of something.
- Peek can be used as a verb (e.g., “Did you peek at the gifts?) and a noun (e.g., “Did you take a peek at the gifts?”).
- Peak can also be used as a verb (e.g., “We think the water level will peak at 20 ft”) and a noun (e.g., “The water was 20 ft high at the peak of the floods”).
| Peek in a sentence | Peak in a sentence |
|---|---|
| I caught him taking a peek at the answers to the test. | The peak of the mountain rises to nearly 10,000 feet. |
| In tomorrow’s show, we’ll be taking a sneak peek at the latest phones to hit the market. | Her training schedule is designed to ensure that she reaches the peak of her abilities at the Olympics. |
| He climbed on the bench so he could peek over the wall. | Sales of our products usually peak in April. |
Peek or peak
Peek and peak are commonly confused words because, despite having different meanings, they are pronounced in the same way (i.e., they are homophones).
A “peek” is a quick, often secretive, “look.” So, if you have trouble remembering which is which, remembering that “peek” and “see” are both spelled with double “e” and are related in meaning might help.
The verb “peek” is frequently used with the prepositions “out of,” “into,” “through,” and “around.” It can be used figuratively to refer to an object that is partially hidden.
He peeked around the corner to check that nobody was coming.
The mast of the sunken boat was peeking out of the water.
There was an old bicycle peeking through the bushes.
Peak is most commonly used as a noun meaning “the highest point” (e.g., a mountain peak) or a verb meaning “to reach the highest point” (e.g., “The share price seems to have peaked”). But you can also use it as an adjective to mean “at the highest” point, level, or value.
Book your flights early to avoid peak summer prices.
Sneak peak or sneak peek
Peek is commonly misspelled “peak” in the phrases “a sneak peek” and “sneak a peek.”
If you “take a sneak peek” or “sneak a peek” at something, you briefly look at it even though you shouldn’t.
A “sneak peek” can also mean an opportunity to see something before other people can.
Were you trying to sneak a peek at my diary?
They gave us an exclusive sneak peek at some of their upcoming models at the convention.
Take a peek
“Peek” (not “peak”) is the correct spelling in the phrase take a peek, which means to “have a short (secretive) look.”
I took a peek around his office, but I couldn’t find it.
Pique meaning
The verb pique means to “stimulate” (generally interest, excitement, or annoyance) and is pronounced in the same way as “peak” and “peek.”
It is frequently used in combination with the nouns “interest” and “curiosity.” Without a noun like this to specify what is being stimulated, it typically means “annoyed” or “irritated.”
A good title will pique the curiosity of the reader.
He became increasingly agitated, clearly piqued by what I was saying.
When used as a noun, pique means a “feeling of irritation or annoyance.” If you do something “in a fit of pique,” you do it impulsively after something has made you feel very angry or annoyed, usually for a short period of time.
He now regrets those social media posts, which were written in a fit of pique after the interview was aired last week.
Frequently asked questions about peek vs peak
- What does pique your interest mean?
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To pique your interest means to “make you curious.” So, if your interest has been “piqued” by something, you are now curious about it.
Pique your interest in a sentence examples We need to think of a good headline for the article that will pique people’s interest.OK, so now you’ve piqued my interest—that sounds like a really exciting opportunity!
Knowing if pique, peek, or peak is the correct spelling for a particular context is tricky because all three of these words are pronounced in the same way but have different meanings.
Why not use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to help you pick up errors in the use of commonly confused words like “pique,” “peek,” and “peak” in your writing?
- What is a synonym for peak?
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Synonyms for the noun peak include:
- Top
- Summit
- Pinnacle
- Climax
- Zenith
Synonyms for the verb peak include:
- Culminate
- Climax
- Top out
- Reach a high point
- Spike
It’s sometimes tricky to decide if peek or peak is the correct spelling for a particular context because these two words are homophones (i.e. They are pronounced the same but have different meanings).
Why not try out QuillBot’s free Paraphraser to help you find the best synonym for “peak” in your specific context?
- Is it pique or peak interest?
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Pique (not peak) is the correct spelling in the phrase “pique someone’s interest,” which means to “arouse someone’s interest.”
Pique your interest, pique my interest etc. examples We hope this introduction has piqued your interest in the subject.I read the first few chapters, but it didn’t really pique my interest.
Knowing whether to spell it “pique,” peak, or pique is tricky because these words are homophones (i.e. They have different meanings but are pronounced in the same way).
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker? It’s a great tool for avoiding mistakes with commonly confused words like these.
