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
as in stabbed
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
the bird continued to peck the suet cake intently
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pecked
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
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
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For years, not having enough money nibbled at my aunt’s health.—
Jenisha Watts,
The Atlantic,
2 Mar. 2026
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What Wear's cocktail reception at Kabawa brought together names like Lana Condor, Tefi Pessoa and Jessel Taank, who joined in the festivities as guests nibbled on oysters and mini beef patties (with goody bags presented by Maison BCBG on the way out the door).—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Initial reports indicated that the teenager had been stabbed during a fight near Bess Race Elementary School and had non-life threatening injuries.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Apr. 2026
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Roughly four minutes later, Brown allegedly pulled a knife from his pocket and stabbed her three times from behind before departing the train.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At this time, the kernels are tender, fully developed, and produce a milky, sweet liquid when punctured.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
3 Apr. 2026
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The attack had punctured an air of invulnerability created by the 1967 Six-Day War, in which Israel had swiftly captured the Golan Heights, the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank, and Gaza from its Arab neighbors.—
Eyal Press,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The bullet pierced the 49-year-old guard’s spine, according to prosecutors, who said the victim endured seven hours of surgery and may be paralyzed.—
Rocco Parascandola,
New York Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
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Large pieces of timber pierced the cab of the victim's truck, as well as the trailer and cargo within the trailer, causing some hazardous material to spill onto the roadway, the sheriff's office said.—
April 3,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The boxers, aged 40 and 42 respectively, threw hopeful knockout punches and barely jabbed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
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The casting director playfully jabbed Anderson in her acceptance speech, referencing the filmmaker's 14 career Oscar nominations without a victory.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Homeowners across Central Florida have been frustrated to find their piles of dead leaves, branches and plants — victims of February’s hard freeze — still sitting on their curbs because waste haulers haven’t picked it up on time.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 Apr. 2026
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For every scene, participants picked one robot from a lineup of six that differed only in color—there were four skin tones ranging from light to dark, plus a silver and a teal option meant as nonracial baselines.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That mindset, which teachers would sometimes unwittingly perpetuate, was keeping kids stuck.—
Megan Molteni,
STAT,
7 Apr. 2026
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This helps avoid the common problem of getting stuck in the pilot phase, a challenge facing many companies, a recent report by Deloitte found.—
Francesca Cassidy,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pecked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pecked. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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