1
as in to master
to acquire complete knowledge, understanding, or skill in
he has a knack for picking up a language in a few weeks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to collect
to bring together in one body or place
pick up all of your things because we have to be off this beach before dark
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to buy
to get possession of (something) by giving money in exchange for
could you pick up some milk at the store?
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4
as in to gain
to gradually increase in
the boat was just picking up speed when it was rammed by another boat
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5
as in to lift
to move from a lower to a higher place or position
pick up your feet while I vacuum in front of the sofa
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6
as in to arrest
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
police picked up the fugitive when she went out to buy food
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7
as in to clean house
to make a place neat and orderly by removing extraneous stuff
I thought you said you had picked up, so why are these things still lying around the rec room?
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8
as in to resume
to begin again or return to after an interruption
after the protestors were removed from the auditorium, the speaker picked up his lecture right where he had left off
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9
as in to trim
to make neat
the boy's bedroom looked like it hadn't been picked up in quite a while
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pick up
Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
Her senior season, 2020-21, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and though her high school team picked up exhibition games here and there to keep players active, Fudd went two full years without competing at the level to which she was accustomed.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
Volodymyr Dudnyk was picked up by Ukrainian military draft officers almost immediately after crossing the border into Ukraine following his deportation from the United States.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
With the ball staying fair — and eliciting an emphatic reaction from Amed Rosario near the Bombers’ bench — the Yankees picked up their first homer of the season and their first runs of the day.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pick up
Verb
Public Works crews have been picking up sand and moving it onto beaches that need it most.
—Ryan Hughes, CBS News, 27 Mar. 2026
Her senior season, 2020-21, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and though her high school team picked up exhibition games here and there to keep players active, Fudd went two full years without competing at the level to which she was accustomed.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026
Volodymyr Dudnyk was picked up by Ukrainian military draft officers almost immediately after crossing the border into Ukraine following his deportation from the United States.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
With the ball staying fair — and eliciting an emphatic reaction from Amed Rosario near the Bombers’ bench — the Yankees picked up their first homer of the season and their first runs of the day.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pick up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pick up
Verb
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The young girl is reading at a 12th-grade level and mastering math concepts such as fractions, decimals and even exponents.—
Jasmine Viel,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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The duality applies to the whole team, which has seemingly mastered compartmentalizing its fun side and its serious side, tapping into one personality or the other on command.—
Haley Sawyer,
Daily News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Each year, Heal the Bay collects trash from beaches and watersheds across Los Angeles County with the help of thousands of volunteers.—
CBS LA Staff,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Data broker websites collect and sell information pulled from public records, marketing databases and online activity.—
Roxanne Downer,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Going to a local bike shop instead of buying online can help, enabling riders to ask questions, take a test ride and learn what’s legal and what isn’t.—
Sarah Raza,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
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Whoever sold oil futures and bought stock futures had made a lot of money in a short time.—
John Cassidy,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Chaiwalas, or street tea venders, have long been taken as emblems of the small-scale entrepreneurialism by which uneducated Indians can gain subsistence, and, in theory, something more.—
Nathan Heller,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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The Tea Party protests that began to erupt in 2009 among conservatives opposed to President Barack Obama were credited with boosting Republican turnout in the 2010 midterms, when the GOP gained 63 seats and control of the House of Representatives in a red wave.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The storm lifted the roof of a boathouse and damaged a dock, garage, and fence.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
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Major oil exporters outside of the Middle East have been lifted by Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with some looking to position themselves as reliable suppliers in a world desperate for energy.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Arnold's name was first brought up in the case after 23-year-old Boakai Hilton, who is believed to be an associate of Arnold, Arianna Del Valle, Jasmine Randazzo, Christion Williams, Lyndell Hudson and Freddie Hughes were arrested for allegedly kidnapping three men and assaulting them.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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After the pair were arrested, Haghighi also co-signed a letter of protest—as did Panahi, who, in turn, was arrested and imprisoned.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Student loan delinquencies have been on the rise ever since payments resumed in force at the end of 2024.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
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But with clear progress failing to materialize by the end of the day, energy prices resumed rising.—
Rebecca Shabad,
NBC news,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In 2018, seventeen-year-old landscaper Alex Childress was rushed to the hospital with third-degree burns on his face after unknowingly trimming giant hogweed.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
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As the Labubu frenzy fades, HSBC last month trimmed its revenue growth forecast for Pop Mart this year from around 30% to under 24%, and expects a 11% to 13% cut in 2026-2027 earnings.—
Elaine Yu,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pick up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pick%20up. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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