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
  • Given the scope and scale of the collection, tell me about the process of selecting the 331 works that would come to the Clark.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 16 July 2026
  • Voters cast ballots by selecting their candidates on a touch screen, and the machine prints out a piece of paper with a QR code on it.
    — Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
Definition of selecting
Verb
  • America’s health care challenges will not be solved by choosing between primary care and specialty care.
    — Torie Bosch, STAT, 18 July 2026
  • And yet, the reasoning behind choosing a teenaged shortstop still holds true today.
    — John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 July 2026
Definition of choosing
Verb
  • There is a competitive theory behind picking a quiet Tennessee city over a host metropolis.
    — Sam Leveridge, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • Usually, that means picking a more premium seating section or opting for an aisle or window seat, depending on preference.
    — Lindsey Campbell, Travel + Leisure, 17 July 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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Cite this Entry

“Handpicking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/handpicking. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on handpicking

Nglish: Translation of handpicking for Spanish Speakers

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