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
After critics picked apart her appearance during the 2015 Wimbledon tennis tournament, Williams took to social media and retorted with a carefree beach selfie.
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Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
When the Bills are on offense, the health of Kincaid and the emergence of Cooks can contribute against a zone-heavy Jaguars defense that can be picked apart through the air.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
The frank tone of the letter that carefully picked apart the plan proved a common feature of Jaworski’s time at City Hall.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Since then, many online have been picking apart her every move.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pick apart
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Grace Gavilanes, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026
When the Bills are on offense, the health of Kincaid and the emergence of Cooks can contribute against a zone-heavy Jaguars defense that can be picked apart through the air.
—Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2026
The frank tone of the letter that carefully picked apart the plan proved a common feature of Jaworski’s time at City Hall.
—Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Since then, many online have been picking apart her every move.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pick apart
Cite this Entry
“Pick apart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pick%20apart. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.
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