pickup

1 of 3

noun

pick·​up ˈpik-ˌəp 

plural pickups

1

: one that is picked up: such as

a

: a hitchhiker who is given a ride

b

: a temporary chance acquaintance

c

: a player acquired from another team

2

: the act or process of picking up: such as

a

: a revival of business activity

b

: acceleration

c

: the act or technique of making the acquaintance of a previously unknown person especially for amorous purposes

d

: the act of collecting someone or something to be carried or transported away

Is your order for pickup or delivery?

We'll call your name when your food is ready for pickup.

… please have your party call you for pickup after they have retrieved their luggage.

—Rebecca Turco

3

: the conversion of mechanical movements into electrical impulses in the reproduction of sound

also : a device (as on an electric guitar) for making such conversion

4

a

: the reception of sound or an image into a radio or television transmitting apparatus for conversion into electrical signals

b

: a device (such as a microphone or a television camera) for converting sound or the image of a scene into electrical signals

5

or pickup truck : a light truck having an enclosed cab and an open body with low sides and tailgate

6

: a pickup game

playing pickup

pickup

2 of 3

adjective

: utilizing or comprising local or available personnel especially without formal organization

a pickup basketball game

a pickup band

pick up

3 of 3

verb

picked up; picking up; picks up

transitive verb

1

a

: to take hold of and lift up

b

: to gather together : collect

picked up all the pieces

c

: to clean up : tidy

2

: to take (passengers or freight) into a vehicle

3

a

: to acquire casually or by chance

picked up a valuable antique at an auction

b

: to acquire by study or experience : learn

picking up a great deal of knowledge in the process

—Robert Schleicher

c

: to obtain especially by payment : buy

picked up some groceries

d

: to acquire (a player) especially from another team through a trade or by financial recompense

e

: to accept for the purpose of paying

offered to pick up the tab

f

: to come down with : catch

picked up a cold

g

: gain, earn

picked up a few yards on the last play

picked up her first victory

4

a

: to enter informally into conversation or companionship with (a previously unknown person)

had a brief affair with a girl he picked up in a bar

b

: to take into custody

the police picked up the fugitive

5

a

: to catch sight of : perceive

picked up the harbor lights

b

: to come to and follow

picked up the outlaw's trail

c

: to bring within range of sight or hearing

pick up distant radio signals

d

: understand, catch

didn't pick up the hint

6

a

: revive

b

: increase

7

: to resume after a break : continue

pick up the discussion tomorrow

8

: to assume responsibility for guarding (an opponent) in an athletic contest

9

: to provide needed support or assistance to (someone who has faltered or failed, such as a teammate who has made an error) in a collaborative effort

… Burns allowed only five hits and did not issue a walk. She also picked up her teammates after several fielding errors.

—John Knebels

We have faith. We don't panic. Even in all these one-run ballgames, we have trust in each other that we're going to pull it out. We pick each other up. On days we're not pitching it great, our offense gets going and vice versa.

—Marco Gonzales

intransitive verb

1

: to recover or increase speed, vigor, or activity : improve

after the strike, business picked up

the wind began to pick up

2

: to put things in order

was always picking up after her

3

: to pack up one's belongings

couldn't just pick up and leave

Phrases

pick up on

1

a

: understand, appreciate

b

: to become aware of : notice

2

: to adopt as one's own : take up

Synonyms

Verb

• master
• learn
• get

Examples of pickup in a Sentence

Noun

The fee pays for garbage pickup.

The school bus was late for its afternoon pickup.

The truck is scheduled to make a pickup today.

Adjective

He plays with pickup bands at nightclubs.

What's the pickup scene like in this city?

Verb

he has a knack for picking up a language in a few weeks

pick up all of your things because we have to be off this beach before dark

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

On Friday, country singer Conner Smith released his first public statement since striking and killing a 77-year-old woman with his pickup truck last month in Nashville. —Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2025

This is because many large pickup trucks are used to haul trailers, which block the back license plate. —Eleanor Nash july 10, Kansas City Star, 10 July 2025

Verb

Best Men’s Shoe Deals Brands like New Balance, Adidas, and Teva have all been marked down in celebration of Amazon’s seasonal sale, making now your chance to pick up a fresh pair of hiking boots, sneakers, or sandals for summer. —Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2025

In the aftermath of blasting a home run that may have picked up an order of Boog’s Barbeque before seemingly coming to rest somewhere near Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, Jonanthan Aranda was asked about the possibility of traveling to Atlanta to participate in the all-star game. —Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1898, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Phrases Containing pickup

• curbside pickup/delivery
• pickup line

Rhymes for pickup

• backup
• blowup
• breakup
• buildup
• checkup
• cleanup
• holdup
• hookup
• lineup
• lockup
• makeup
• markup

Kids Definition

pickup

1 of 2 noun

pick·​up

ˈpik-ˌəp

1

a

: an increase in activity

a pickup in business

b

: acceleration sense 1

2

: one (as a hitchhiker or chance acquaintance) that is picked up

3

a

: the changing of mechanical movements into electrical energy in the reproduction of sound

b

: a device (as on a phonograph) for making such a change

4

a

: the receiving of sound or an image into a radio or television transmitting device

b

: a device (as a microphone or a television camera) for converting sound or an image into electrical signals

5

: a light truck with an open body and low sides

called also pickup truck

pick up

2 of 2 verb

(ˈ)pik-ˈəp

1

a

: to take hold of and lift

picked the book up

b

: to gather together : collect

picked up every piece

c

: to clean up : tidy

pick up your room

2

: to take (passengers or freight) into a vehicle

3

a

: to acquire without great effort or by chance

pick up a habit

picked up a nasty cold

b

: to gain by study or experience

picked up a new language while traveling

c

: to obtain especially by buying or as a bargain

picked up the shirts on sale

d

: to form a brief or chance acquaintance with a stranger

e

: to take into custody

was picked up by the police

4

: to find and follow

picked up the outlaw's trail

5

: to bring within range of sight or hearing

a radio that picks up foreign broadcasts

6

: to gather or regain speed or strength