pickoff

1 of 2

noun

pick·​off ˈpik-ˌȯf How to pronounce pickoff (audio)
: a baseball play in which a base runner is picked off

pick off

2 of 2

verb

picked off; picking off; picks off

transitive verb

1
: to shoot or bring down especially one by one
2
: to put out (a base runner who is off base) with a quick throw (as from the pitcher or catcher)
3
: intercept
picked off a pass

Examples of pickoff in a Sentence

Noun He made a pickoff throw to third base. Verb picked off more passes than any other player in the division
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Takamura scored on an errant pickoff throw at first base and Madonna came home on a sacrifice fly to right hit by Truman Beaudoin. Glenn Reeves, The Mercury News, 20 Mar. 2024 The first pickoff, by Jaire Alexander, came when Dallas was backed on its own end of the field late in the first quarter. USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2024 Khan drafted Porter, who maintained perfect position on Odell Beckham Jr.’s fade route, enabling the pickoff. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Oct. 2023 On average this season, there has been a successful pickoff once every 10 games, on par with recent years. Francesca Paris, New York Times, 24 May 2023 Such as the pitch timer, the curtailment of radical defensive shifts and the introduction of larger bases, coupled with limitations on how many times a pitcher could attempt a pickoff. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Jan. 2024 Less heralded — and criticized — were the other changes implemented to encourage more action: Infield shift restrictions, bigger bases and a limit on pickoff attempts. Jorge Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2023 If a third pickoff throw is attempted and is unsuccessful, the pitcher is charged with a balk. Chantz Martin, Fox News, 1 Sep. 2023 In the season opener, J.C. Jackson opted to try to return a pickoff of Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa from the end zone, the move eventually leading to a Dolphins’ touchdown one possession later. Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2023
Verb
In Martin Scorsese's film, Gladstone plays Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman whose family was being picked off one by one by white people who moved to Oklahoma to take advantage of the newfound oil riches. Ew Staff Published, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2024 When key trading powers in the world economy such as the U.S. start picking off bilateral FTAs with countries as important as Kenya, that only serves to deflate the balloon for the AfCFTA—which is the single most important economic policy investment objective that the US should champion for Africa. Harry G. Broadman, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Perhaps pressing late in the game, Jackson forced a ball into the end zone while trying to pass his team back into the game, but it was picked off by S Deon Bush. 6. Nate Davis, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2024 Greenlaw's scary stinger, 'Rodrigo' picks off fellow late-rounder One of the game's scariest moments was when standout 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw delivered a hit to the Lions' Sam LaPorta after a catch. José M. Romero, The Arizona Republic, 28 Jan. 2024 McNabb had Diggs picked off, but the throw to second from first baseman Taylor Howell hit Diggs' helmet and skirted into left field. Tom Murphy, arkansasonline.com, 2 Mar. 2024 The Ravens picked off Tagovailoa twice, sacked him three times and held him to his lowest passer rating of the season. Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 1 Jan. 2024 Snuffing Kansas City’s first drive of the second half, the 6-foot-3 linebacker picked off a seam pass by retreating far and not allowing Mahomes to trick him into voiding his spot. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Feb. 2024 By the time the Allies landed at Normandy on June 6, 1944, the Luftwaffe was virtually defeated, its fighters drawn in by American bombers, then picked off by P-51s. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pickoff.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1911, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1810, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pickoff was in 1810

Dictionary Entries Near pickoff

Cite this Entry

“Pickoff.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pickoff. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pick off

verb
1
: to shoot or bring down one by one or with a single shot
2
: to put out (a base runner who is off base) with a quick throw
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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