pick apart
phrasal verb
picked apart; picking apart; picks apart
chiefly US
: to say all of the things that are bad or wrong about (someone or something) : to criticize (a person or thing) in a very detailed and usually unkind way
You can expect political analysts to pick apart the governor's speech.
The film's critics picked his performance apart.
Examples of pick apart in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Image From the beginning, current and former employees said, the Ai Pin had issues, which reviewers later picked apart.
—
Erin Griffith, New York Times, 6 June 2024
Minnesota trailed by 10 early in the second quarter and was getting largely picked apart by Dallas, who’d seemingly solved the puzzle of anything the Wolves could present it.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 27 May 2024
There are, as always, superlatives galore to be picked apart from the results.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2024
The producers often picked apart his work, and while filming one particularly emotional scene in the first season, Allen panicked when tears began to well in Richardson’s eyes mid-take.
—Ashley Spencer, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2024
After losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game in late January, the team that finished with the NFL’s best regular-season record was picked apart.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 18 Mar. 2024
Anonymous plays a crucial role, an exasperated ombudsman, picking apart the entire enterprise from the inside, providing a critique of its authenticity and the perils of performing for an audience.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 13 May 2024
The menu at times can be picked apart and look a little disconnected in comparison to an Italian restaurant or a steakhouse, but that's where that design element mimics our cuisine.
—Jim Riccioli, Journal Sentinel, 10 May 2024
Slowly and carefully picking apart cover that’s near a spawning area with a finesse presentation is a great way to get a bite from a big post spawn female.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 1 May 2024
Erin Griffith, New York Times, 6 June 2024
Minnesota trailed by 10 early in the second quarter and was getting largely picked apart by Dallas, who’d seemingly solved the puzzle of anything the Wolves could present it.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 27 May 2024
There are, as always, superlatives galore to be picked apart from the results.
—Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Apr. 2024
The producers often picked apart his work, and while filming one particularly emotional scene in the first season, Allen panicked when tears began to well in Richardson’s eyes mid-take.
—Ashley Spencer, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2024
After losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game in late January, the team that finished with the NFL’s best regular-season record was picked apart.
—Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 18 Mar. 2024
Anonymous plays a crucial role, an exasperated ombudsman, picking apart the entire enterprise from the inside, providing a critique of its authenticity and the perils of performing for an audience.
—Jason Zinoman, New York Times, 13 May 2024
The menu at times can be picked apart and look a little disconnected in comparison to an Italian restaurant or a steakhouse, but that's where that design element mimics our cuisine.
—Jim Riccioli, Journal Sentinel, 10 May 2024
Slowly and carefully picking apart cover that’s near a spawning area with a finesse presentation is a great way to get a bite from a big post spawn female.
—Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 1 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pick apart.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pick apart
Cite this Entry
“Pick apart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pick%20apart. Accessed 14 Jun. 2024.
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