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
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
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
Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pecked
Verb
-
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
-
Orange-and-white clown fish peered from rust-red anemones; neon-green parrotfish nibbled at bubblegum-pink brain coral.—
Susan Casey,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Brockton Police arrested a man who allegedly stabbed a co-worker at Wollaston Alloys Monday night.—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
-
A student was even stabbed at a school after the system didn't detect a 7-inch knife.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
With a trip to the Etihad to come on Saturday, Newcastle's uplift could swiftly be punctured.—
Chris Waugh,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Meanwhile, researchers at Texas A&M University created a dynamic material that repairs itself after being punctured by shifting from a solid to a liquid state and back again.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As the friend stumbled, one bullet hit him in the buttock and pierced his small intestine.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Williams introduces us to a woman who is pierced by the clarity of her vision.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
An agent in Massachusetts jabbed his finger and thumb into the neck and arteries of a young father who refused to be separated from his wife and 1-year-old daughter.—
Nicole Foy,
ProPublica,
13 Jan. 2026
-
As Webster repeatedly jabbed his finger, Rathbun met it with his left hand, as if trying to swat him away.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
On his way to the dressing room, Gudas picked some snow off the ice and kissed it.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The council recently picked a fight with Friends of the Library, with the council questioning whether to accept $825,000 from the group.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Like that film and the rest of her oeuvre, her latest is another tender tale of a protagonist stuck between two worlds, a hallmark motif fitting for a director who splits her time between documentary and fiction filmmaking.—
Lé Baltar,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The rescue took place in the area of Branford Point where crews responded on the report of a goose possibly in distress and stuck in the ice, according to the Branford Professional Firefighters IAFF 2533.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pecked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pecked. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
