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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Allen has dogged controversy since having an affair with his partner Mia Farrow’s adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
13 Oct. 2025 -
The health care debate has dogged Congress ever since the Affordable Care Act became law under then-President Barak Obama in 2010.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
13 Oct. 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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But Carr suggested a more technical approach to needle Trump’s media annoyances, saying in a Thursday episode of The Scott Jennings Podcast that the commission may review whether ABC’s The View should be subject to what’s known as the equal time rule.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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There’s a brilliant scene in which Linda unspools a throwdown rant at O’Brien’s character, begging him to help her but not willing to meet him halfway on the patient’s couch.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
9 Oct. 2025
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Anderson doesn’t have to beg anybody to take Hardy seriously anymore.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Taylor claimed Martz urged her to join them in the cockpit to get the best view.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
11 Oct. 2025
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Ellison's office's lack of substantive response to the ultimatum comes despite the fact that hundreds of Minnesota school board members penned an open letter urging the state to comply with Trump and change its policies to keep males out of girls sports.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Plus, if you’re constantly nagged by pesky mosquitos and other flying critters, scoop up this outdoor bug zapper to rid your space of bugs for good.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
7 Oct. 2025
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Neither Winter nor Reeves cares much if audiences buy tickets expecting more Bill and Ted good times, only to be confronted with Beckett’s nagging existentialism instead.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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House Republicans haven’t even bothered to show up to work since the shutdown began.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
9 Oct. 2025
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What continued to bother him was the strange feeling of impending disaster.—
Marguerite Reiss,
Outdoor Life,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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McConnell got to his spots easily for pull-up jumpers and picked Dillingham clean after hounding him in the backcourt to force one of the second-year point guard’s three turnovers.—
Jon Krawczynski,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
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The search for answers grew more desperate after Payne, wracked with grief and hounded by reporters, died by suicide near the very spot where Mary’s body had been found.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
4 Oct. 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 16 Oct. 2025.
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