as in hungry
feeling a desire or need for food
I think I'll have a snack before we go, as I'm feeling a bit peckish
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Recent Examples of peckish
Pack toys and snacks While screen time may be a great distraction on its own, especially on longer flights, kids may get peckish and want other things to do.
—
Zach Wichter, USA Today, 17 Dec. 2025
On his delivery routes, Bridges drinks from a flask to keep hydrated, and catches and eats bugs when peckish.
—Simon Parkin, The Atlantic, 23 June 2025
The teeny cut-outs look like the work of a very polite, hungry goldfish or maybe a peckish guinea pig.
—Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, 3 Feb. 2025
The miniature sandwich felt more appropriate for a kids meal or someone feeling peckish.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2024
Those feeling peckish while looking at the view can order small plates, salads, sandwiches, a sweet treat, or a cheese and honey plate stacked with Anatolian cheeses.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2024
After enough pressure, an unfortunately peckish wolf might get a mouthful of foul-tasting blood instead.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 14 Dec. 2023
Zach Wichter, USA Today, 17 Dec. 2025
On his delivery routes, Bridges drinks from a flask to keep hydrated, and catches and eats bugs when peckish.
—Simon Parkin, The Atlantic, 23 June 2025
The teeny cut-outs look like the work of a very polite, hungry goldfish or maybe a peckish guinea pig.
—Leah Prinzivalli, Allure, 3 Feb. 2025
The miniature sandwich felt more appropriate for a kids meal or someone feeling peckish.
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2024
Those feeling peckish while looking at the view can order small plates, salads, sandwiches, a sweet treat, or a cheese and honey plate stacked with Anatolian cheeses.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 23 Apr. 2024
After enough pressure, an unfortunately peckish wolf might get a mouthful of foul-tasting blood instead.
—Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 14 Dec. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for peckish
hungry
Adjective
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There are a handful of of others, like dYdX, that offer crypto derivatives to risk-hungry traders who don’t want to venture onto centralized exchanges like Coinbase.—
Ben Weiss,
Fortune,
12 Jan. 2026
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Unfortunately, hungry deer are quite capable of nipping off every growing tip on a young lilac and all the buds set last year, leaving you with no blooms in spring.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Peckish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peckish. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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