picked off; picking off; picks off
1
: to shoot or bring down especially one by one
2
: to put out (a base runner who is off base) with a quick throw (as from the pitcher or catcher)
3
: intercept
picked off a pass
Examples of pickoff in a Sentence
Noun
He made a pickoff throw to third base.
Verb
picked off more passes than any other player in the division
Recent Examples on the Web
Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2025
Weaver found more trouble in the eighth, permitting a two-out single to Iván Herrera before firing a pickoff throw that caught Paul Goldschmidt by surprise.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2025
Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Clarence Tucker intercepted two passes and Cam Purnell picked off one.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pickoff
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
In the bottom of the frame, Xavier Edwards singled to center, advanced to second on a pickoff error and scored on Jakob Marsee’s single to tie the score 1-1.
—Steve Gorten, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2025
Weaver found more trouble in the eighth, permitting a two-out single to Iván Herrera before firing a pickoff throw that caught Paul Goldschmidt by surprise.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 16 Aug. 2025
Verb
The Patriots received to start the second half, and Maye was picked off on a passing attempt to wide receiver Stefon Diggs when he was hit while throwing.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Clarence Tucker intercepted two passes and Cam Purnell picked off one.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pickoff
Cite this Entry
“Pickoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pickoff. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share