1
as in nibbled
to eat reluctantly and in small bites
found out that fashion models never really eat—they just peck at small meals in expensive restaurants
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stabbed
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
the bird continued to peck the suet cake intently
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pecked
As Cadeau pecked his way through the blue-and-maize confetti littering the court, Justin did a quick change.
—
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Standing right behind the decoy, the bird cautiously sized up George, pecked him on the head, then jumped and used his spurs to knock George to the ground.
—Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
The muscular gizzard contains grit pecked up from the chicken’s ground feeding, which is used to crush up the chicken’s food.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026
The two teams faced off again on Sunday, and once again, the Birds pecked Kansas City, this time in a three-point victory.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026
Standing right behind the decoy, the bird cautiously sized up George, pecked him on the head, then jumped and used his spurs to knock George to the ground.
—Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
The muscular gizzard contains grit pecked up from the chicken’s ground feeding, which is used to crush up the chicken’s food.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 21 Feb. 2026
The two teams faced off again on Sunday, and once again, the Birds pecked Kansas City, this time in a three-point victory.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pecked
Verb
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Threatened by the lack of water and nibbled by starving livestock, the trees that once formed a dense forest in the Somali region of Ethiopia are in danger, locals say.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
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That led to a viral moment in a Lions’ Thanksgiving Day game when his teammates were shown chowing down on the turkey provided by Fox, while Montgomery nibbled on a carrot.—
Matt Young,
Houston Chronicle,
2 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Marcus Semien hit a chopper down the left side, which Jorbit Vivas stabbed at wildly while missing it badly.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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Two people were stabbed in north London on Wednesday in an attack that police have now formally declared a terrorist incident, prompting a major emergency response and an ongoing counterterrorism investigation.—
Bradford Betz,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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By the end of the learning unit, Burton said growth in the children could be seen as their vocabularies expanded to using words such as thermometer, blood pressure and punctured.—
Tribune News Service,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
-
By the end of the learning unit, Burton said growth in the children could be seen as their vocabularies expanded to using words such as thermometer, blood pressure and punctured.—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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One of the bullets pierced Bradley’s heart and lung, Meyer said.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
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According to local outlet Listin Diario, Bonilla had undergone surgery to have rods and screws inserted into her back after a tumor was removed, though one screw allegedly pierced her spinal cord, leaving her immobilized from the ribs down.—
Luke Chinman,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The boxers, aged 40 and 42 respectively, threw hopeful knockout punches and barely jabbed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Apr. 2026
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The casting director playfully jabbed Anderson in her acceptance speech, referencing the filmmaker's 14 career Oscar nominations without a victory.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tight ends had a banner weekend with 22 picked, the most since 2015, according to Sportradar, as the league’s trend of more multi-tight-end formations put a premium on the position.—
Josh Dubow,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Later in the draft, the Chiefs picked Oregon cornerback Jadon Canady, Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson, Cincinnati wide receiver Cyrus Allen and LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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With Venus in Gemini aligning with Pluto in Aquarius, honest conversations help shift situations that have been stuck.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
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But as OutKick’s Joe Kinsey noted, the platform would often combine WNBA and NFL games, leaving subscribers stuck watching both.—
Bobby Burack OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pecked.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pecked. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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