1
2
a
: a projecting piece used as a support or boundary marker
b
: something (such as a fact or issue) used as a support, pretext, or reason
a news peg for the story
3
a
: one of the movable wooden pegs set in the head of a stringed instrument (such as a violin) that are turned to regulate the pitch of the strings see violin illustration
b
: a step or degree especially in estimation
4
: a pointed prong or claw for catching or tearing
5
British
: drink
poured himself out a stiff peg—
Dorothy Sayers
Dorothy Sayers6
: something (such as a leg) resembling a peg
7
: throw
especially
: a hard throw in baseball made in an attempt to put out a base runner
pegged; pegging
1
a
: to put a peg into
b
British
: to pin (laundry) on a clothesline
2
3
: to mark by pegs
4
: throw
1
: to work steadily and diligently
—often used with away
2
: to move along vigorously or hastily : hustle
polyethylene glycol
Examples of peg in a Sentence
Noun
Her coat hung on a peg by the door.
took the arrogant student down a peg
Verb
Is the tent pegged down all the way?
peg the price of wheat at its current level
His bonus is pegged to how many sales he makes each year for the company.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2025
New York continually underperforms despite being a team that many peg to be contenders every season.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Todd Spangler, Variety, 1 May 2025
Analysts had pegged the private-sector survey index at 49.8.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 30 Apr. 2025
Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 6 May 2016
The most controversial were the inclusion of single-unders and double-under crossovers which appeared during Event 3 alongside strict peg-board climbs.
—Gabrielle Kassel, Men's Health, 8 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for peg
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noun
The Bears traded away a massive amount of draft currency, sending the 49ers a four-pack of picks — Nos. 3, 67 and 111 in that year’s draft plus a 2018 third-rounder — to slide up one peg to No. 2 on the draft board to draft Mitch Trubisky, a quarterback at North Carolina.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 27 Apr. 2025
New York continually underperforms despite being a team that many peg to be contenders every season.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
Analyst consensus estimates had pegged $1.01 billion in revenue and a net loss of 25 cents per share, according to LSEG Data & Analytics.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 1 May 2025
Analysts had pegged the private-sector survey index at 49.8.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
The shape of those peg-like teeth at the front of its mouth tell us that A. unicus was vegan — the oldest such marine reptile known.
—Gemma Tarlach, Discover Magazine, 6 May 2016
The most controversial were the inclusion of single-unders and double-under crossovers which appeared during Event 3 alongside strict peg-board climbs.
—Gabrielle Kassel, Men's Health, 8 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for peg
Cite this Entry
“Peg.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/peg. Accessed 10 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
peg
1 of 2 noun1
a
: a small usually cylindrical pointed piece (as of wood) used to pin down or fasten things or to fit into or close holes
a tent peg
b
: a tapered wooden piece in a musical instrument (as a violin) that is turned to tighten or loosen a string to adjust pitch
2
: a piece that sticks out and is used as a support or boundary marker
3
: step entry 1 sense 5, degree
take someone down a peg
4
: throw entry 2 sense 1
a quick peg to first base
peg
2 of 2 verb
pegged; pegging
1
a
: to fasten or mark with pegs
b
: to fix or hold (as prices) at a level or rate of increase
2
: to place in a class or group
4
: to work steadily and diligently
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