peak and peek are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. peak means “the most extreme possible amount or value”. peek means “a secret look”. peak is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈpik/
1.n.the most extreme possible amount or value
“voltage peak”
2.n.the period of greatest prosperity or productivity
3.n.the highest level or degree attainable; the highest stage of development
“his landscapes were deemed the acme of beauty”
/ˈpik/
| peak | peek | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈpik/ | /ˈpik/ |
| Said | peek | peek |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 4 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | noun, verb |
| Senses | 8 | 2 |
| How common | Common | Familiar |
| Synonyms | extremum | peep |
Full entry for peak · Full entry for peek · More comparisons
1.n.a secret look
2.v.throw a glance at; take a brief look at
“She only glanced at the paper”