pick up the pieces

phrase

: 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.

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Cite this Entry

“Pick up the pieces.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pick%20up%20the%20pieces. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

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