peek
Americanverb (used without object)
noun
verb
noun
Usage
What's the difference between peek, peak, and pique? The word peek is most commonly used as a verb meaning to look at something quickly or sneakily and as a noun referring to such a look. The word peak refers to the top of a mountain or, more figuratively, to the highest point of something, as in the peak of my career. The less frequently used word pique is most commonly used as a verb meaning to arouse or excite a particular feeling, as in Advertisements are designed to pique your interest. The confusion surrounding the three words—all three of which can be used as both a verb and a noun—is mainly due to the fact that they are all pronounced the same. Since peek and peak are so close in spelling, one way to tell them apart is to remember that peek has two e’s, which kind of look like two little eyes peeking out between the p and the k. Another way to remember this is that peek has two e’s like look has two o’s. To remember what pique means (and how to spell it), remember that the things that pique your interest or curiosity are often unique. Here’s an example of peek, peak, and pique used correctly in a sentence. Example: The image of the strange mountain peak on the cover was meant to pique your curiosity, and it worked—you picked up the magazine to peek inside. Want to learn more? Read the breakdown of the difference between peeked, peaked, and piqued.
Synonym Usage
See peep 1.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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peeksimple
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peekssimple
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have peekedperfect
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has peekedperfect
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am peekingprogressive
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are peekingprogressive
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is peekingprogressive
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have been peekingperfect progressive
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has been peekingperfect progressive
Past
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peekedsimple
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had peekedperfect
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was peekingprogressive
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were peekingprogressive
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had been peekingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of peek
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English piken (verb); perhaps dissimilated variant of kiken “to look furtively, keek”; see keek
Explanation
When you peek, you take a quick glance at something. It's incredibly tempting when you're little to peek at your birthday presents, but you soon learn how disappointing it is to spoil the surprise. A sneaky look at something is a peek. You might peek at someone if you're shy or you don't want them to catch you looking. You can also describe a glance at a part of something as "a peek" — like when you take a peek at a napping child. Peek comes from piken, a 14th century word meaning "look quickly and slyly." Until the 15th century, the word peek was used interchangeably with keek and peep.
Vocabulary lists containing peek
Some Tricky Homonyms
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Commonly Confused Words, List 3
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"The War of the Wall" by Toni Cade Bambara
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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.
See Examples For:
As more blacked-out vehicles entered the area, the more excited the crowd grew, with several craning their necks to peek at the stars exiting their vehicles.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Perched on a hilltop beneath the Aegibong Peace Ecopark observatory where telescopes peek into the secluded state, the shop has drawn tens of thousands from South Korea and abroad since opening in November 2024.
From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026
Visitors walking around the bend of the center’s second-floor gallery can peek inside the payload bay, which was used to transport cargo like satellites into space.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
Monday’s announcement gave investors a peek at how Super Micro is investing in its business.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
I peek out one eye and find Zoe at the foot of my bed.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
A-list stars and directors were on hand to give peeks at what to expect.
From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026
Jareth peeks at her from between the masked dancers whirling around her, hiding and seeking, smiling gently, for once, as “As the World Falls Down” lilts behind the action.
From Salon ● Jan. 24, 2026
When asked about his hair, which peeks out from underneath a black beret-style hat, a wide grin stretches across his face.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2025
Mui knocks on the door, and a man peeks through the curtains from a window on the ground floor.
From Slate ● Oct. 27, 2025
He peeks through the window by his head.
From "Clean Getaway" by Nic Stone
Employees peeked through a wrought-iron gate as former Noma head of fermentation Jason Ignacio White read a letter decrying Redzepi.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 2026
Then the couple peeked into another dealership around the corner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 21, 2026
The truck lumbered through the forest in the setting sun, stopping at a grove of bigcone Douglas-fir trees, where West and a colleague unloaded the cage, lifted the door and waited as Orange peeked outside.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 17, 2025
Down the street, we peeked in on renovations at the art deco Warner Grand Theater, which is approaching its 100th birthday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2025
When Mrs. Lopez told us to sit quietly and solve for X, I peeked at my phone.
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
The only flash of color was her green V-neck union T-shirt, the logo peeking out of a black blazer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 18, 2026
Like peeking at the guts of the iPhone, it was the first glimpse of something before anyone knew what it could be.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 3, 2026
Because I knew to look for it, I saw the faint surgical scar peeking above the neckline of the child’s dress.
From Slate ● Mar. 29, 2026
But as the year ends, it seems truth finally is peeking through the storm clouds, like the blue skies Sinatra sang about so beautifully.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 30, 2025
Pong paused with his face peeking up over the side.
From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
