Definitions
01mountain top
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. the pointed top of a mountain or hill.
n. the summit or highest point of a mountain, hill, or range, typically terminating in a point.
“The climbers finally reached the peak of the mountain just before the storm arrived.”
“From the valley floor, the jagged peak remained hidden behind a thick veil of mist until the afternoon winds cleared the sky.”
02highest level
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the point when something is at its highest level or most successful.
n. the point of highest intensity, value, or achievement within a specific period.
“Traffic usually reaches its peak around five o'clock in the afternoon.”
“The athlete was at the peak of her career when she won three gold medals in a single season.”
03part of a cap
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun British English
n. the front part of a hat that shades your eyes from the sun.
n. the stiff, projecting front part of a cap; often referred to as a visor in American English.
“He pulled the peak of his cap down to hide his face from the cameras.”
“The officer adjusted the peak of his service cap, ensuring it sat perfectly level before the inspection began.”
04excellent quality
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Slang · Informal
n. something that is of the highest possible quality or the best example of its kind.
n. a state of exceptional quality or the quintessential representation of a genre or type.
“That new superhero movie is peak cinema.”
“The internet erupted in memes, claiming the season finale was peak television for its unexpected plot twists.”
Teaching tip
This usage is very common in internet culture to describe media or moments that are perfect or archetypal.
Synonyms
05to reach a maximum
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to reach the highest point or level.
v. to reach a maximum level of intensity, volume, or activity. Often used as an intransitive verb.
“The fever usually peaks in the middle of the night.”
“Economists predict that inflation will peak in the second quarter before gradually declining toward the end of the year.”
Antonyms
06maximum or busiest
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. used to describe the time when something is at its highest level or most busy.
adj. relating to the period of maximum demand or greatest intensity.
“Electricity costs more during peak hours when everyone is using it.”
“The hotel increases its rates significantly during the peak tourist season to capitalise on the high demand.”
Antonyms
07bad or unlucky
C2 · Proficiency Slang · British English · Dialect
adj. used to describe a situation that is very bad, unfair, or unlucky.
adj. denoting a situation that is unfortunate, disappointing, or particularly difficult.
“It is so peak that your car broke down on the way to the interview.”
“Missing the last train home when it is raining is absolutely peak.”
Teaching tip
This is specifically Multicultural London English (MLE). In this dialect, 'peak' can mean 'very bad', which is the opposite of its standard 'top quality' slang meaning.
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “peak” in context.
Verb
01. pass its peak
“The athlete realized his career had passed its peak when he failed to qualify for the finals.”
verb + possessive + noun
02. reach a peak
“Tourist numbers usually reach a peak during the summer months of July and August.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. sharp peak
“The graph shows a sharp peak in energy consumption during the unexpected cold snap.”
adj + noun
04. snow-capped peak
“The climbers were mesmerized by the sight of the snow-capped peak shimmering in the morning sun.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. peak of perfection
“The soprano was at the peak of perfection during her performance at the Metropolitan Opera.”
noun + of + noun
06. peak performance
“Athletes use specialized diets and training regimes to ensure they achieve peak performance.”
noun + noun
Preposition
07. at the peak of
“She decided to retire at the peak of her fame to spend more time with her family.”
prep + noun + prep
Real-World Examples
“Romania has declared a state of energy emergency throughout August and asked companies and households to reduce consumption during peak hours.” “The stock quadrupled in value before most of those gains were wiped out, leaving his investment, now worth about 300 million won, at roughly half the value of its peak.” “Wednesday's event has been described as the best solar eclipse in the UK since 1999, with more than 90% of the sun being covered by the moon at its peak shortly after 19:00 BST.” “It comes as a rare amber weather warning for extreme heat is in effect across a large swathe of the UK, as the peak of the UK's fifth heatwave hits.” Etymology
From earlier peake, peek, peke, from Middle English pek (in place names), itself an alteration of pike, pyke, pyk (“a sharp point, pike”), from Old English pīc, piic (“a pike, needle, pin, peak, pinnacle”), from Proto-West Germanic pīk, from Proto-Germanic pīkaz (“peak”). Cognate with Dutch piek (“pike, point, summit, peak”), Danish pik (“pike, peak”), Swedish pik (“pike, lance, point, peak”), Norwegian pik (“peak, summit”). More at pike.
Unknown. Perhaps related to Etymology 1 above in the sense of "becoming pointed" through emaciation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/peak
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR