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 deal ended a nearly nine-year-old felony case that had dogged Paxton since his early days in office.—
Kayla Guo,
ProPublica,
4 Apr. 2025 -
More: 5 takeaways on President Trump's massive tariffs that are even steeper than expected Respondents gave Trump poor marks for his handling of the economy, which 37% approved of, with 30% approving of his work to address the high cost of living, an issue that also dogged Biden.—
Jason Lange,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The interaction between Briony and Jamie starts off amiably, with Jamie needling Briony for her posh affectations.—
Doreen St. Félix,
The New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2025
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Plagued by suspicious neighbors and needling strangers, tormented by memories of better times and dreams of what could have been, the Millers are getting by on the edge of a knife.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But like my friend who only visits any place once for a peek, those sights may not beg a second visit.—
John Mariani,
Forbes.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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That included claims that Dorit's estranged husband, Paul Kemsley, had staged their 2021 home invasion in which Dorit begged for the safety of their children's lives as she was held at gunpoint.—
Dave Quinn,
People.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Musk has also backed the AfD, urging Germans to vote for the right-wing group in elections earlier this year, as well as English far-right figure Tommy Robinson.—
Todd Symons,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2025
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To have the best shot at getting housed, homeless outreach workers urge people to first go into a city or county shelter.—
Theresa Clift,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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My problem is that several friends constantly nag me to sell them my items.—
Jeanne Phillips,
The Mercury News,
24 Mar. 2025
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The company has also embarked on a campaign to discourage the use of ad blockers, primarily by nagging users and blocking the blockers right back.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Chicago Bears - Will Campbell, OL, LSU Will Campbell has fallen a bit due to his shorter arm length, but that likely won't bother Ben Johnson.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
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Because Congress never bothered to write a law to establish it.—
Jay Cost,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Like the first two matchups, TCU led most of the way as the Horned Frogs hounded Baylor on defense.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Mar. 2025
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The children of celebrities don’t usually have a typical childhood—whether they are hounded by the paparazzi or attending glamorous Hollywood events with their celebrity parents.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
16 Jan. 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 9 Apr. 2025.
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