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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Since 2017, Spacey has been dogged by legal issues, which have derailed his Hollywood career.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
25 June 2025 -
How could the company’s researchers avoid the community opposition that had dogged the Cambodia trial?—
Jon Cohen,
New Yorker,
24 June 2025
Verb
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Tennis legend Chris Evert needled WNBA players for lack of sportsmanship following Tuesday night’s skirmish that saw Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark get poked in the eye and shoved to the ground in a game against the Connecticut Sun.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2025
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On the set, between takes, Anne needled her assistant, Young Sun, who was arranging ricotta gnocchi on a sheet pan.—
Allen Salkin,
HollywoodReporter,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Frazier then tried to subtly get the answer to the question fans have been begging to know — is Rihanna having a baby girl?—
Mya Abraham,
VIBE.com,
30 June 2025
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Within a month, my friends were begging me for more.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
28 June 2025
Verb
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Heavy rain prompts traffic advisory on North 94th Street in Kansas City Drivers urged to exercise caution as heavy rain prompts traffic warning between I-70 West and State Avenue on North 94th Street.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
27 June 2025
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On Thursday, more than a half-dozen leaders representing Thai, Japanese and South Asian communities held a news conference in Little Tokyo urging community members to stand together and denounce the federal action as an overreach.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
27 June 2025
Verb
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With all the things that could go wrong constantly nagging you, your best bet is to control the controllable aspects of your hunting season.—
Josh Honeycutt,
Outdoor Life,
26 June 2025
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By James Parker Editor’s Note: Is anything ailing, torturing, or nagging at you?—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2025
Verb
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While notification bundles were an option before, they were primarily used for messaging, and not all developers bothered.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 June 2025
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If Waldron wasn’t battered, then Phillies starter Zack Wheeler was hardly bothered.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 June 2025
Verb
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Brunson, who was hounded by a new primary defender in Andrew Nembhard, scored 19 points and finished 8-of-18 from the field.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
1 June 2025
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Brunson pounded the air out of the ball at midcourt, hounded by the Pistons’ rising defender Ausar Thompson, whose superhuman combination of length, athleticism, and foot speed had bothered Brunson all series.—
Alphonse Pierre,
Pitchfork,
22 May 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 8 Jul. 2025.
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