pecked

past tense of peck
1
as in nibbled
to eat reluctantly and in small bites found out that fashion models never really eat—they just peck at small meals in expensive restaurants

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pecked Pelicans swooped overhead and night herons, with spiky yellow feathers flying from their heads, goofily pecked the grass for insects. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026 As Cadeau pecked his way through the blue-and-maize confetti littering the court, Justin did a quick change. Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026 Standing right behind the decoy, the bird cautiously sized up George, pecked him on the head, then jumped and used his spurs to knock George to the ground. Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026 The muscular gizzard contains grit pecked up from the chicken’s ground feeding, which is used to crush up the chicken’s food. Josh Miller, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026 The two teams faced off again on Sunday, and once again, the Birds pecked Kansas City, this time in a three-point victory. Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pecked
Verb
  • Kikuko, her appetite sluggish, nibbled the bread bit by bit from the edges, all the while furtively watching her father.
    Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Threatened by the lack of water and nibbled by starving livestock, the trees that once formed a dense forest in the Somali region of Ethiopia are in danger, locals say.
    ABC News, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Prosecutors said Anthony provoked the confrontation that ended with Metcalf being fatally stabbed in the chest.
    James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Records show Singh had called emergency services and said he’d been stabbed multiple times.
    Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • As anxiety punctured the tranquility of the suburb, questions bubbled up on everything from the community’s water and pesticide use to abandoned oil wells underneath.
    Julia Vargas Jones, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
  • For especially delicate foods, make sure the toothpicks are secure and don’t touch anything that could be punctured or contaminated.
    Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • On the second episode Caitlin’s dad gets his ears pierced for the first time.
    Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Roma arrived at the World Trade Center while both towers stood defiantly tall, each pierced by Boeing 767s, bleeding with jet fuel and spewing smoke that promised to eventually bring them down.
    Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Workers have been increasingly jabbed while on the job as needle-style medications — more specifically GLP-1s — have risen in popularity.
    Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu jabbed back against the prevailing narrative yesterday, saying she was never invited to participate in the WNBA’s 3-point contest this weekend.
    Chris Branch, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Verb
  • With Balde out of favour and summer re-signing Joao Cancelo not yet fully up to speed, Flick has picked Espart at left-back for each of Barca’s opening five matches in La Liga.
    Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Otosaka said the study stopped with 2023 data, but she's looked at measurements since and found the accelerating trend has picked back up.
    ABC News, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Now my guy is stuck in an insane asylum with a doctor who seems downright giddy to try out some electroshock therapy.
    Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2026
  • But the Pentagon’s internal investigation has been stuck in limbo for months.
    Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pecked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pecked. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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