as in picks at
to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders
kept pecking at their prodigal daughter to get off the couch and to start looking for a job
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pecks (at)
Verb
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Her first concern, Bloor said, was getting the family dogs out of the room before anything escalated.—
Jasmine Baehr,
FOXNews.com,
18 Jan. 2026 -
Therapy dogs with the nonprofit also help children learn to read and assist in clinical therapy settings.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
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TxDOT is warning that conditions are still dangerous and urges people to stay home on Tuesday if possible.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
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All TEXpress lanes have been closed due to the inclement weather and the Texas Department of Transportation urges residents to stay off the roads as much as possible over the weekend.—
Star-Telegram staff,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In Chicago, Maisie catches a glimpse of the carousel and begs her benefactor to purchase it.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
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In a new Shouts & Murmurs, Patricia Marx begs Pete Hegseth to invade and liberate her son’s messy apartment.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But in the final moments, when Carol is back in her coach seat on the plane, something nags at her.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Jake needles Harry about the past 50 years, but Harry can only offer scraps of history.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Pecks (at).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pecks%20%28at%29. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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