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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Service dogs that bark excessively must be taken out of the facility.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
14 June 2026 -
In a nearly 10-minute long video, Pratt repeated social media posts that dogs on Skid Row are used to test drugs, are bred for drug money and are left in poor conditions by their unhoused owners, among other concerns about overcrowded, dirty shelters across the city.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Verb
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By contrast, Trump is being needled almost weekly by Tillis and other GOP senators whose chattiness with the press has drawn the ire of the president.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
31 May 2026
-
The Velvet Gang needles the outraged Christie ever so.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
19 May 2026
Verb
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Setting the factory ablaze and escaping, Naim pauses for a minute when the Ryan-like monster appears at a window, begging to be released and claiming to be the human-being.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
19 June 2026
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The role required a physical and comedic register she had not previously been asked to sustain at this scale, which begs the question of whether playing someone this chaotic is sustainable for someone who describes herself, without hesitation, as directly opposite.—
Hannah Abraham,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
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The pair also urged the clinic to disclose any discrepancies in parentage.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
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A smoke advisory was issued for a broad swath of East Los Angeles, with members of the public urged to limit outdoor exercise and those with health issues to remain indoors.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Verb
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One thought is starting to nag a little—that the remaining leg of the journey is the shortest.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 June 2026
-
On Saturday night, with Karl-Anthony Towns and OG nagged by foul trouble and the bench players struggling, Brunson refused to give in.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Oh, and more often than not, nobody bothers to check whether the change intervention actually worked, or whether leaders improve their performance after all!—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
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The chest pain that had been bothering her finally let up.—
Tyler Quattrin,
Twin Cities,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Goldberg, on the other hand, hounded Freedman with questions, asking about every material used in every step of the process.—
Jesse Armas,
Curbed,
16 June 2026
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Even Arnett recounted a moment where she was hounded by photographers on her way to the Monster-in-Law set, only contributing to her level of stress.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
16 June 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 Jun. 2026.
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