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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The Tigers, for now, seem to have tamed the road blues that dogged them previously against Ole Miss, LSU and Alabama.—
Ally Schniepp,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026 -
Since then, Cornyn’s TV blitz has defined Paxton as a diminished candidate dogged by ethics questions, a move that has tightened the contest in pre-primary polls.—
Joseph Morton,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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As Thea’s former suitor, Tesman struggles to call her by her married name, a slip of the tongue that Hedda constantly needles him about.—
Emily McClanathan,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
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Smirk flies under the banner ‘Make Fun, Not War’ and delights to needle and tweak the NFL and the gravitas of its Big Game.—
Greg Cote
February 5,
Miami Herald,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With their strong lines and solid structure, fences are just begging to be planted with vines and other climbing plants.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
19 Feb. 2026
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In a TikTok on Wednesday, the singer-songwriter begged Wikipedia users to stop changing the photo on her page.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The Sierra Avalanche Center reports high avalanche risk through at least this morning, urging people to avoid travel in or below avalanche terrain.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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The Pima County sheriff took the unusual step of publicly clearing the family as suspects, urging the public to show compassion toward the victims.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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First baseman Jake Burger picked up pilates to help mitigate the soft tissue injuries that nagged him in his debut season with the club.—
Shawn McFarland,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Feb. 2026
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Your keen insight catches what others miss — even a small domestic shift can turn nagging stress into quiet stability that feeds body and mind!—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The man himself might have argued forcefully that the one didn’t prove the other, that many Muslims in his hometown never bothered to circumcise their children.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Feb. 2026
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But only part of that really bothered the Florida Department of Health about Sidney Moritz, once known as Sandy Montano.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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However, delays hounded construction.—
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
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Stewart noted that Diana's experience of being hounded by the media resonated with her as someone who has had a famously tumultuous relationship with the press and the public's scrutiny of celebrity lives.—
Mekishana Pierre,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Feb. 2026
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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 21 Feb. 2026.
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