handpicking

verb

present participle of handpick
as in selecting
to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities handpicked what she considered to be the cutest kitten from the litter

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for handpicking
  1. selecting
  2. choosing
  3. picking
Verb
  • After carefully selecting specimens with reliable dates and locations, the team extracted DNA using techniques designed for highly degraded historical samples.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The latter curated the event, hand-selecting performers and often songs, also playing keyboards throughout the night.
    — Katherine Turman, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of selecting
Verb
  • In fact, Myers Park Covenant’s interim senior minister, Tim Moore, believes that more newcomers to Charlotte than ever — especially younger ones — aren’t choosing churches based on denomination.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Upstate New York has no shortage of escape routes—charming inns, boutique hotels, and endless Airbnb gems—and choosing one is always the hardest part.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of choosing
Verb
  • The casualties of picking wrong fill the YC fintech graveyard.
    — Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • As the back-and-forth plays out between the former couple, Senate Republicans are increasingly picking a side.
    — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of picking
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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handpicking
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Cite this Entry

“Handpicking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handpicking. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on handpicking

Nglish: Translation of handpicking for Spanish Speakers

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