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

In one corner, there’s a sushi buffet where visitors pick out sushi pieces cafeteria-style, then purchase their meal by weight. — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 24 July 2026

Last season as a rookie, Scourton — the second-round pick out of Texas A&M — tied Derrick Brown for the team lead with five sacks. — Joseph Person, New York Times, 23 July 2026

Luckily this outfit combo requires very little room for error; all that’s left to do is pick out your trendy finishing touches. — India Roby, Glamour, 21 July 2026

When picking out plants for planters, remember to choose varieties that require the same amount of sunlight and water to ensure the entire planter will thrive. — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 July 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