as in to pick 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 peck (at)
Verb
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The cuts are also hitting St. Louis, often dogged by being labeled one of the most dangerous cities in America.—
Bram Sable-Smith,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025 -
The reopened highway, which is dogged by traffic jams in normal times, is likely to be slow going for years as debris clearance and reconstruction continue.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
23 May 2025
Verb
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The weary guard is subtler than other characters at pulling Henry’s strings, but Jerry needles his captor by surmising correctly that even his list of demands is Gene’s work.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2025
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While the night kicked off with Clay Matthews needling the Chicago Bears, the Windy City club still got their man.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Over the course of his prolific, three-decade career, the American filmmaker has established a signature aesthetic and working style that could convince any actor to beg him for a part — almost any actor.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
5 June 2025
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But when your 3-year-old is begging for it, concentrate on your kid’s joy instead of dreaming of force feeding a cold pizza of gravel and gnats to that singer. 5.—
Chris John Amorosino,
Hartford Courant,
4 June 2025
Verb
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During tornado warnings issued by the National Weather Service, people are urged to move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.—
Joseph Hernandez,
Kansas City Star,
3 June 2025
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Quote Will Excite Detroit Fans To that end, the Lions have been urged to consider and named the best fit to land a very familiar face.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Verb
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By James Parker Editor’s Note: Is anything ailing, torturing, or nagging at you?—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2025
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Hazards associated with hurricanes have always affected regions beyond the coasts, but disasters like last fall’s Hurricane Helene affirm something that has nagged at me in recent years — dealing with increasing challenges associated with inland risks.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Verb
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After years of ‘losing culture,’ can the new-look Chicago Bears turn things around on defense? Chicago Bears safety Kevin Byard didn’t bother mincing words.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
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The walk, only his second this month, bothered him.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
26 May 2025
Verb
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The company has been hounded by bad news, falling since 2019 and giving back 78.6% of its ten-year 2009-2019 bull market.—
Bill Sarubbi,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2025
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Three issues are expected to hound the next pope: clerical abuse, poor finances of the Vatican and the ongoing cultural war between progressives and conservatives.—
Camille Elemia,
NBC news,
4 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Peck (at).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/peck%20%28at%29. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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