Meaning & use
peak time
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable or uncountable
The period when a service, road or system is used by the largest number of people.
Grammar: Often used before another noun or with at: peak time fares, at peak time.
Patterns
- at peak time
- during peak time
Train tickets cost more at peak time.
Peak time on this road is from seven to nine each morning.
The website crashed during peak time on Black Friday.
noununcountableBritish
The hours of the evening when television or radio audiences are largest.
Grammar: Often without an article, especially in British English: peak time viewing.
Patterns
- in peak time
- peak time viewing
The drama aired in peak time and drew millions of viewers.
Advertisers pay the most for peak time slots.
Peak time television is full of competition shows.
Word forms
| plural | peak times |
|---|
Common combinations
- at peak time
- The bus is packed at peak time.
- peak time fares
- Peak time fares apply before nine o'clock.
- avoid peak time
- We left early to avoid peak time traffic.
- peak time viewing
- The show moved to a peak time viewing slot.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rush hour
- Rush hour is used for road and train traffic only, while peak time can cover any service.
- busy period
- Busy period is a plain description, and does not suggest a fixed recurring slot.
- prime time
- Prime time is mostly for television, especially in American English.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: peak time or peek time?
peak time vs peek time
Peek means a quick look and is a different word; the correct spelling here is peak.
Practice
Which sentence uses peak time correctly?
Choose one answer.
Peak is the spelling meaning the highest point. Peek and pique are different words.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “peak time”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.