pick out

verb

picked out; picking out; picks out

transitive verb

1

: discern, make out

2

: to play the notes of by ear or one by one

picking out tunes on the piano

Examples of pick out in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Marshall, a 2025 fifth-round pick out of Florida, allowed touchdown receptions each of the past two weeks but was seemingly in pretty good position on both. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026

Shopping is my job, but picking out presents for the special women in my life? — Jeaneen Russell, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2026

After dwindling minutes over the Heat’s first three games, there were none for the 2022 first-round pick out of Serbia in the fourth game, Monday night’s home loss to the Dallas Mavericks. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026

Customers pick out items at one price, then get hit with a higher bill at checkout. — Muskaan Arshad, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1540, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pick out

• about
• bailout
• blackout
• blowout
• breakout
• burnout
• buyout
• checkout
• closeout
• cutout
• devout
• dropout

Kids Definition

pick out

verb

1

: to see or detect with some difficulty

picked out the trail in the snow

2

: to play the notes of by ear or one by one

pick out a tune