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.
was spiking
-
past progressiveof spike.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Around 10% of U.S. natural gas production was temporarily knocked out of commission just as demand was spiking, noted strategists at Saxo Bank.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 26, 2026
Although demand for new cars was spiking, manufacturers simply couldn't build them quickly enough.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2025
The corps keeps an athletic trainer and several medical volunteers on site, and performers were hustled inside when it became clear the heat index was spiking.
From New York Times ● Jul. 1, 2023
At the time, COVID-19 was spiking unabated across the U.S., more than 40 D.C. inmates had tested positive and even prosecutors in the case acknowledged a health threat.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 22, 2022
Without those positions being filled, that meant hundreds of fewer police officers working in L.A. at a time when violent crime was spiking and homicides were hitting a decade high.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2021
