spiked

adjective

ˈspīkt 

ˈspī-kəd

1

: having an inflorescence that is a spike

spiked blooms

2

: having sharp projecting points

a spiked tail

spiked collars

3

of hair : arranged in stiff tufts

a spiked hairstyle

4

of beverages : containing alcohol : hard sense 2b

spiked seltzers

Wisconsin gets to be among the first to try a new line of 80-calorie spiked sodas with zero sugar.

—Kathy Flanigan

Examples of spiked in a Sentence

a lizard with a spiked tail

Recent Examples on the Web

Bond yields spiked following the CPI data, and futures now put nearly 60% odds on a rate cut in June, per CME's FedWatch tool, up slightly from Tuesday. —Axios, 12 Mar. 2025

The Economic Policy Uncertainty Index, a measure of instability in government decision-making, spiked to 588.83 on March 9, reaching levels not seen since the height of the pandemic. —Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025

But this time, while the heels are still sky high, they’re covered in spiked hardware, as though Lively’s character, Emily Nelson, has needed to armor up while away. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 8 Mar. 2025

Join 165 others in the comments View Comments Time and again the US economy has shaken off recession fears, including in 2022 after the Fed spiked interest rates to fight inflation, and in the summer of 2024 when the unemployment rate started to rise. —Elisabeth Buchwald and Matt Egan, CNN, 3 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing spiked

• spiked heel

Rhymes for spiked

• disliked
• diked
• hiked
• liked

Kids Definition

spiked

adjective

ˈspīkt 

1

: having sharp points

2

: arranged in stiff clumps

spiked hair