as in selecting
to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities
cherry-picked the spacious corner office for his corporate fief
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Recent Examples of cherry-picking
Families spent Mother's Day filling buckets and making memories at Dell'Osso Farms in Lathrop, where crowds gathered Sunday for cherry-picking season in the heart of California's top cherry-producing county.
—
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Cha chaan tengs grew in popularity, cherry-picking elements from all three restaurants to create a new type of cuisine.
—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
But most of this research is co-authored by Sikiric, who holds several patents related to BPC-157, and some experts have accused him of cherry-picking evidence.
—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
The Justice Department has pushed back on the defense suggestion that Bondi continues to profit from Ballard’s ongoing representation of UnitedHealth Group and accused Mangione’s lawyers of creating such a misimpression by cherry-picking language from her public financial disclosure report.
—
Nicki Brown,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Vartkessian renders them neither clinically nor sensationally—a fine line to walk—and cherry-picking details for this review feels grossly reductive, like a thumbnail sketch of a scene of desolation.
—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Following Democrats’ release, Republicans accused Democrats of cherry-picking the emails, later releasing a tranche of 20,000 pages of documents both sides received from the Epstein estate last week.
—
Emily Brooks,
The Hill,
13 Nov. 2025
More than 85 scientists denounced the report, accusing officials of cherry-picking facts and figures to allow for the administration’s fossil fuel ambitions.
—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
23 Sep. 2025
Sisters Mackinley and Taylor Hill are taking inspiration from their own lives and cherry-picking a collection of juicy new jewelry for their debut line, Stone Fruit.
—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
16 Sep. 2025
Charlie Lapastora,
CBS News,
11 May 2026
Cha chaan tengs grew in popularity, cherry-picking elements from all three restaurants to create a new type of cuisine.
—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
But most of this research is co-authored by Sikiric, who holds several patents related to BPC-157, and some experts have accused him of cherry-picking evidence.
—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
The Justice Department has pushed back on the defense suggestion that Bondi continues to profit from Ballard’s ongoing representation of UnitedHealth Group and accused Mangione’s lawyers of creating such a misimpression by cherry-picking language from her public financial disclosure report.
—
Nicki Brown,
CNN Money,
9 Jan. 2026
Vartkessian renders them neither clinically nor sensationally—a fine line to walk—and cherry-picking details for this review feels grossly reductive, like a thumbnail sketch of a scene of desolation.
—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Following Democrats’ release, Republicans accused Democrats of cherry-picking the emails, later releasing a tranche of 20,000 pages of documents both sides received from the Epstein estate last week.
—
Emily Brooks,
The Hill,
13 Nov. 2025
More than 85 scientists denounced the report, accusing officials of cherry-picking facts and figures to allow for the administration’s fossil fuel ambitions.
—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
23 Sep. 2025
Sisters Mackinley and Taylor Hill are taking inspiration from their own lives and cherry-picking a collection of juicy new jewelry for their debut line, Stone Fruit.
—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cherry-picking
Verb
-
In Buffalo, New York, the 2026 NHL draft action kicked off with the Toronto Maple Leafs selecting Penn State winger Gavin McKenna – a pick most people expected would open the night.
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While selecting pieces for the exhibit, Pacini visited the carousel in storage.
Verb
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On an album centered on killing ego and embracing growth, the response feels less like avoidance and more like a man choosing peace over proving a point.
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That means creating an easily navigable layout, incorporating soft, inviting textures and materials, and choosing extra-comfortable furniture.
Verb
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One of the first tips for picking the perfect melon is its weight.
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That would take the power of picking your replacement out of the hands of voters.
Cite this Entry
“Cherry-picking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cherry-picking. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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