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
In certain corners of the Internet, people have spent the past year picking apart the Swedish influencer turned fashion mogul’s $200 cardigans, her quiet-luxury aesthetic, her linen-and-curtain-bangs image, and—oh yes—those toilet-cleaning allegations.
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Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 24 Sep. 2025
After getting picked apart by Texas A&M and bullied by Miami, the defense’s performance against one of the Big Ten’s doormats should have been better.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025
Giants quarterback Russell Wilson had near-career day against Dallas, throwing for 450 yards and three touchdowns, and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert picked apart the Chiefs in the opener.
—Jack Magruder, Forbes.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Audiences are living for it, picking apart every little detail onscreen and off, a move that’s pretty gratifying for Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang, who co-wrote and directed the film.
—Marah Eakin, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2025
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Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 24 Sep. 2025
After getting picked apart by Texas A&M and bullied by Miami, the defense’s performance against one of the Big Ten’s doormats should have been better.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025
Giants quarterback Russell Wilson had near-career day against Dallas, throwing for 450 yards and three touchdowns, and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert picked apart the Chiefs in the opener.
—Jack Magruder, Forbes.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Audiences are living for it, picking apart every little detail onscreen and off, a move that’s pretty gratifying for Chris Appelhans and Maggie Kang, who co-wrote and directed the film.
—Marah Eakin, Vulture, 11 Sep. 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 30 Sep. 2025.
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