pecking

verb

present participle of peck
1
as in nibbling
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 stabbing
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 pecking Fair Oaks’ famous chickens roam the property, pecking up shreds of lettuce that inevitably fall from the sandwiches. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026 There Are No Foolproof Methods No single technique will completely prevent birds from pecking on your fruits. — Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 24 May 2026 Nyjer thistle seeds are also very small, and many birds will love pecking them off the sides or roof of your edible birdhouse. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 May 2026 The siblings have been caught pecking and pushing each other during a feeding session. — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2026 Choose cloth that is dense enough to prevent the birds from pecking for seeds. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 Apr. 2026 The scene is right out of the 1950s with students pecking away at manual typewriters, the machines dinging at the end of each line. — Jocelyn Gecker, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026 Our guy is just pecking away at his little typewriter or writing his memories in longhand. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026 The lead stretched to 12 early in the third quarter, but slowly and painfully for Parker, the hosts, with Archer attacking the glass, kept pecking away. — Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pecking
  1. nibbling
  2. stabbing
  3. picking
  4. jabbing
  5. puncturing
  6. piercing
  7. sticking
  8. spitting
Verb
  • While nibbling deer and pesky rodents might require one approach, something else, like snakes, will require another.
    — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 3 July 2026
  • Other snaps saw the Selena actress lounging in silk pajamas, celebrating her kids' graduations, eating a huge croissant, nibbling on a chocolate bar in bed, and posing for a selfie on a couch.
    — Christina Perrier, InStyle, 26 June 2026
Definition of nibbling
Verb
  • Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty to stabbing four University of Idaho students to death and waived his right to appeal, is now seeking post-conviction relief by claiming his plea was false.
    — Chadd Cripe. Produced with AI assistance, Idaho Statesman, 30 July 2026
  • Blackouts and seizures, tremors that became full-body shakes, stabbing chest pains.
    — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 30 July 2026
Definition of stabbing
Verb
  • The standard way to shop usually means picking recipes first, making a list, and buying those exact ingredients regardless of price.
    — Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 31 July 2026
  • Conservationists in the area have rallied around the remaining tree, slamming Homeland Security for not picking an alternative route that does not involve cutting down the trees.
    — Michael Loria, USA Today, 30 July 2026
Definition of picking
Verb
  • The show ushered in a new era of winking, elbow-jabbing meta-musicals.
    — Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • The audience groaned, while Vergara and Mel B screamed for Strange to stop jabbing at his partner through the box.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 17 June 2026
Definition of jabbing
Verb
  • As the spacecraft closed in, the video follows Mars steadily expanding to reveal numerous craters puncturing its surface, the ancient double-ringed Huygens crater and the south polar ice cap before receding in the spacecraft's rearview.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 22 July 2026
  • On June 3, Walden went to the hospital, where a CT scan revealed the metal bristle had become lodged in his bowel and had begun puncturing his intestine.
    — Nick Lunemann, CBS News, 30 June 2026
Definition of puncturing
Verb
  • His piercing blue eyes shone through, despite the facial prosthetics covering every inch of his skin.
    — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 30 July 2026
  • Their headlamps piercing the watery dark, the group swims along (only Sara has accepted a life jacket), admiring the bats and stalactites while Wat reminds them to respect the caves.
    — Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 July 2026
Definition of piercing
Verb
  • SerpApi is hoping that the fight will be over soon, telling Ars that the costly legal battle is worth sticking it out to defend the open web.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 27 July 2026
  • The site points out that dogs sticking their head or paws out the window could lead to them darting out or getting injured, and the brand says pets should be restricted to the backseat.
    — Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 21 July 2026
Definition of sticking
Verb
  • Starship is designed to launch 60 Starlink V3 satellites at a time, spitting them out through a slit-like payload bay door like a giant PEZ candy dispenser.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 25 July 2026
  • This happened before Juliette started spitting out the pills.
    — Noel Murray, Vulture, 24 July 2026
Definition of spitting

Phrases Containing pecking

Browse Nearby Words

pecker
pecking
pecking (at)
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Cite this Entry

“Pecking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pecking. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pecking

Nglish: Translation of pecking for Spanish Speakers

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