Definition

1. Noun:

   • The pointed top of a mountain or hill: The highest point of a mountain or hill.
   • The highest level, point, or degree of something: The point of greatest achievement, intensity, or activity.
   • A projecting front part of a cap or hat: The stiff brim at the front of a cap, designed to shade the eyes.
   • A sharp point: A V-shaped or pointed end.

2. Verb:

   • To reach the highest point or maximum level: To attain a peak or the highest degree of intensity, value, or activity.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:

  • The climbers finally reached the mountain's peak. (The climbers finally reached the highest point of the mountain.)
  • Demand for electricity is at its peak during the summer. (Demand for electricity is at its highest level during the summer.)
  • He adjusted the peak of his baseball cap. (He adjusted the stiff brim at the front of his baseball cap.)
  • The graph shows a sharp peak in sales. (The graph shows a sharp, pointed maximum in sales.)

• Verb:

  • Her career peaked in the late 1990s. (Her career reached its highest point of success in the late 1990s.)
  • Interest in the product peaked last month. (Interest in the product reached its maximum level last month.)

Advanced Usage

• "To be at its peak": To be at the highest or best point.
  • The athlete's performance was at its peak during the championship.
• "To peak early": To reach one's highest point of achievement or development sooner than usual or expected.
  • Some child stars peak early and struggle later in their careers.

Variants and Related Words

• Peaked (adjective): Having a peak; pointed. Also, pale and sickly in appearance (archaic).
  • A peaked roof.
• Peaky (adjective): Pale and sickly-looking.
  • He looked a bit peaky after his illness.

Synonyms

• Noun: Summit, pinnacle, apex, zenith, climax, height, maximum.
• Verb: Climax, culminate, top.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Peak out: To reach a peak and then stop increasing; to level off.
  • Sales peaked out in the third quarter.

Related Idioms

• "The peak of perfection": The highest possible standard.
  • The chef's dish was the peak of perfection.
• "Over the peak": Past the most difficult or intense part.
  • We are over the peak of the crisis now.

Noun

1. a brim that projects to the front to shade the eyes
   • he pulled down the bill of his cap and trudged ahead
2. the highest point (of something)
   • at the peak of the pyramid
3. a V shape
   • the cannibal's teeth were filed to sharp points
4. the top or extreme point of something (usually a mountain or hill)
   • the view from the peak was magnificent
   • they clambered to the tip of Monadnock
   • the region is a few molecules wide at the summit
5. the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development
   • his landscapes were deemed the acme of beauty
   • the artist's gifts are at their acme
   • at the height of her career
   • the peak of perfection
   • summer was at its peak
   • ...catapulted Einstein to the pinnacle of fame
   • the summit of his ambition
   • so many highest superlatives achieved by man
   • at the top of his profession
6. the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
7. the most extreme possible amount or value
   • voltage peak

Verb

1. to reach the highest point; attain maximum intensity, activity
   • That wild, speculative spirit peaked in 1929
   • Bids for the painting topped out at $50 million