pick up the pieces
idiom
: to try to make a situation better after something bad has happened
After her business went bankrupt, she picked up the pieces and started again.
Examples of pick up the pieces in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Barry Chin/Globe Staff In Saugus, Stephanie Gerardi’s sisters are still trying to pick up the pieces following her death.
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Laura Crimaldi, BostonGlobe.com, 3 June 2023
Liberal political observers are trying to pick up the pieces, arguing the agreement avoids default and keeps the economy from diving off a cliff – which incidentally would've put a major dent on Biden's reelection hopes.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 1 June 2023
While the new app will try to pick up the pieces and outdo its predecessor’s abysmal App Store review score on May 25th, the camera and lens are both set to launch around June 29th.
—Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 24 May 2023
Whilst Elliot fights with his own demons, Helen is left to pick up the pieces of a larger mystery; forcing them both to confront foes, old and new.
—Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for pick up the pieces
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Laura Crimaldi, BostonGlobe.com, 3 June 2023
Liberal political observers are trying to pick up the pieces, arguing the agreement avoids default and keeps the economy from diving off a cliff – which incidentally would've put a major dent on Biden's reelection hopes.
—Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 1 June 2023
While the new app will try to pick up the pieces and outdo its predecessor’s abysmal App Store review score on May 25th, the camera and lens are both set to launch around June 29th.
—Antonio G. Di Benedetto, The Verge, 24 May 2023
Whilst Elliot fights with his own demons, Helen is left to pick up the pieces of a larger mystery; forcing them both to confront foes, old and new.
—Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for pick up the pieces
Cite this Entry
“Pick up the pieces.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pick%20up%20the%20pieces. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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