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

Smith was drafted by the 49ers with the seventh overall pick out of Missouri in 2011 and made an immediate impact on the team, helping San Francisco snap a playoff drought and reach the NFC title game his first three seasons with one trip to a Super Bowl. —ABC News, 13 June 2026

You’re tempted to pick out the single load-bearing word—a Guts or a Sour to fit these songs inside. —Walden Green, Pitchfork, 12 June 2026

Here, Meeks and Visage look back on the season and pick out their top moments from the show. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 11 June 2026

As a third-round pick out of UCLA, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end built on a productive collegiate career and strong Senior Bowl performance by making an immediate impact as a rookie with the Denver Broncos. —Tyler Carmona june 10, Miami Herald, 10 June 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