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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But the question of the Tour dogged his entire career.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
8 July 2025 -
Netanyahu's outwardly triumphant visit to the White House, his third this year, is dogged by Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza and questions over how hard Trump will push for an end to the conflict.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
8 July 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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When all 16 of her campers and her co-counselors were safely accounted for at the pavilion, Ainslie heard campers from another cabin — one that housed some of the camp’s youngest children — begging for help.—
Toria Sheffield,
People.com,
12 July 2025
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Read on for our roundup of gallery wall ideas in living rooms, bedrooms, and entryways to turn an empty wall begging for a makeover into a memorable design statement.—
Maria Sabella,
Architectural Digest,
11 July 2025
Verb
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Anyone with additional information is urged to contact Cold Case Detective Ayala at (510) 675-5259.—
Lesley Cosme Torres,
People.com,
9 July 2025
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Wright launched a campaign on Platt’s behalf urging influential people like Benjamin Franklin to help him.—
Time,
Time,
9 July 2025
Verb
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Editor’s Note: Is anything ailing, torturing, or nagging at you?—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
1 July 2025
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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
Verb
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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
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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
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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The Pacers needed his late-game heroics and Nesmith's shot-making and hounding defense against Jalen Brunson.—
Bobby Krivitsky,
Forbes.com,
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 15 Jul. 2025.
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