as in to pick at
to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders
kept pecking at their prodigal daughter to get off the couch and to start looking for a job
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peck (at)
Verb
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According to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, dogs that suddenly bolt are often acting on instinct rather than misbehaving.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025 -
The delay in the completion of Raye’s second album is unfortunately of a piece with setbacks that once dogged her.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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After nearly a decade of using the sign to needle the beer capital, Anheuser-Busch walked away from the ad and was replaced by Miller Brewing.—
Chris Foran,
jsonline.com,
24 Sep. 2025
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Resentment soon starts needling away at them as Theo goes over budget and Ivy feels her role as a mother has been usurped — the kids are now too health-conscious even to touch her desserts.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Hours earlier, his team was begging us & the Adams campaign to join their publicity stunt lawsuit against @ABC7.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Sep. 2025
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Now there’s a story begging for its own miniseries, and a reminder that the stakes are pretty high.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
25 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Film data researcher and consultant Stephen Follows urged the industry to remain vigilant.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Sep. 2025
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In the days following Kirk's death, high-profile conservative accounts circulated screenshots of controversial remarks and urged for employers to fire the posters.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Napier’s playcalling has been the focus of most outside criticism, but the lack of offensive continuity each game may be the largest issue nagging Florida.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
24 Sep. 2025
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Editor’s Note: Is anything ailing, torturing, or nagging at you?—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Finney's younger sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) is bothered by nightmarish visions of an alpine camp, and the siblings investigate only to discover that the Grabber has found a way to torture from the other side.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
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Common Pests and Problems Hardy cyclamen planted in ground are rarely bothered by pests.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Italian city imposes a tourist tax on dogs Dog owners visiting the Italian city of Bolzano will be hounded for taxes to offset the cost of street cleaning and to fund new parks.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
24 Sep. 2025
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The former is the owner of a New York City hotspot; the latter is a man on the run from loan sharks, with heaps of personal issues and bad debts hounding him.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Peck (at).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peck%20%28at%29. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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