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
  • Two people were stabbed, one fatally, near Times Square on Monday afternoon, with responding authorities shooting and killing the female suspect, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said.
    Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 1 Sep. 2026
  • One of the two people who was stabbed also died, while the other victim was hospitalized in stable condition.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The solar panel that powers the camera was punctured and shattered.
    Haley Parsley August 22, Sacbee.com, 22 Aug. 2026
  • The barrel had been punctured several times and dumped far offshore, Spencer said, but whoever discarded the remains likely never imagined the reservoir’s shoreline would one day retract hundreds of feet.
    Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Her brown leather jacket was pierced with 60 stab wounds, and her throat had been slashed nearly ear to ear.
    Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Investigators believe the bullet that pierced the restaurant window was fired from inside a passing vehicle on Vista Village Drive.
    Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Aug. 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
  • Each flower must be picked and carefully dissected to remove three tiny red threads, known as stigmas.
    Callie Zanandrie, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Kreeger and Fernandez Rundle picked through hundreds of dresses, shoes, T-shirts and designer jeans.
    Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • After being stuck open in the rain, fans cheered when the roof closed.
    Rebecca Tauber, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Kohl’s decided in 2016 to close one of its big box stores in Roswell, but no one knew the building’s fate would be stuck in purgatory for the next decade.
    Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 31 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pecked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pecked. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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