Peek is about looking: a quick or sneaky glance, like peeking through the curtains. Pique is about feeling: it means to arouse curiosity, as in 'piqued my interest,' or to wound someone's pride. A headline that piques your interest makes you want to read on; peeking at the answer key is sneaking a look.
The core difference
Peek means to take a quick look, while pique means to stir interest or to sting someone's pride.
- peek — to look quickly or slyly, often through a gap or without being noticed: She peeked through the curtains to see who was at the door.
- pique — to arouse interest or curiosity, or to wound someone's pride: The headline piqued my curiosity, so I read the whole article.
How to tell them apart
The phrase "piqued my interest" is where this mix-up shows up most, since writers often reach for "peaked" or "peeked" instead. But interest is aroused, not looked at, so pique is the word the phrase needs.
A helpful trick: peek rhymes with "seek," and both are about looking for something with your eyes. Pique has no obvious rhyme to lean on, so it helps to remember it through the set phrases it appears in, such as "pique someone's interest" or "a fit of pique" for a flash of wounded pride.
