spike
noun
a naillike fastener, 3 to 12 inches (7.6 to 30.5 centimeters) long and proportionately thicker than a common nail, for fastening together heavy timbers or railroad track.
have spiked
-
present perfectof spike.present perfect
Used to describe actions that started in the past and continue into or have direct relevance to the present.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Amazon said that by generating its own power, it would avoid passing the cost on to ordinary Americans, whose electricity bills have spiked as utilities charge consumers for the new infrastructure feeding the AI boom.
From Barron's ● Aug. 7, 2026
Because battles in Darfur and Kordofan have disrupted farming, prices of gum arabic along with other agricultural goods have spiked.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026
After cutting rates in the back half of 2025, the Fed has since taken a pause, and more rate cuts seem further off as oil prices have spiked.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 26, 2026
It would also somewhat reduce California’s gasoline prices, which have spiked to $5.52 a gallon versus an average of $3.72 a gallon nationwide.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 16, 2026
I am going to move forward with all my men; we have spiked the guns here, and if they should come down into the batteries again you can clear them out.
From A Roving Commission Or, Through the Black Insurrection at Hayti by G. A. (George Alfred) Henty
