as in choice
the act or process of selecting
the picking of new recruits went on for three days
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in harvesting
to catch or collect (a crop or natural resource) for human use
pick peas and beans from the garden for dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in selecting
to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities
I pick you as my partner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in provoking
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
he seems to be trying to pick a fight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in nibbling
to eat reluctantly and in small bites
still suffering from the shock of his wife's death, he could do no more than pick halfheartedly at his food
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in stabbing
to penetrate or hold (something) with a pointed object
continued to pick the block of ice until she was able to extract the shrimp
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of picking
Devin Parr, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
These ideas are big and ripe for the picking, but James’ interest in delivering a full meal verges on overstuffed.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
No more picking winners and losers.
—Adam Beam, AJC.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The film veers from JayDee’s story and takes some artistic liberties as Chito turns to transporting drugs for the character of Tío when fruit-picking isn’t enough.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 19 Jan. 2026
Using metal as a pick is rare, but not unheard of – Brian May (Queen) uses an old English sixpence, Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) has had a peso in his picking hand, there's Eddie Van Halen of course, and Phil Collen (Def Leppard) has rocked the bright attack of metal on metal too.
—New Atlas, 19 Jan. 2026
Elkington, who hails from a small village near London and emigrated to the Midwest in the 1990s, brings with him a deft picking style and a grounding in European folk traditions.
—Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 9 Jan. 2026
Visit in the fall for quintessential activities like apple picking, a corn maze, and trolley rides.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
Autonomous bin picking At CES, Alpha is operating live at the Schaeffler Group booth.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
Other photos show them on the sand with their arms around each other and sharing a kiss, with Tatum picking her up and holding her over his head at one point.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
When your parents asked you to clean your room as a kid, that probably meant picking clothes up off the floor and putting toys away.
—Elizabeth Brownfield, Southern Living, 7 Jan. 2026
In fact, according to a new profile of Kate for The Times ahead of her 44th birthday on January 9, it was revealed that the Princess of Wales insists on doing the school run, dropping her kids off at Lambrook and picking them up, as well.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026
Use clean pruners to cut lemons carefully, since picking too early or too late hurts flavor and future blooms.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 6 Jan. 2026
That’s not on who’s picking the team; that’s on the players.
—Scott Powers, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Trump did get the jitters, but responded, as The Atlantic’s Jonathan Chait noted, not by caving on health care but by ranting about the filibuster, ultimately picking a different way of doubling down.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
Kellenberger pivoted, hiking north until the winter weather hit, and picking back up in March 2025.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
Noun
For them, building a wine with aging potential starts long before harvest—knowing the vineyard and soil, controlling production, choosing the right picking moment, selecting fruit and deciding in advance whether the wine will be aged in stainless steel, oak or concrete.
—Devin Parr, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
These ideas are big and ripe for the picking, but James’ interest in delivering a full meal verges on overstuffed.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Jan. 2026
No more picking winners and losers.
—Adam Beam, AJC.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The film veers from JayDee’s story and takes some artistic liberties as Chito turns to transporting drugs for the character of Tío when fruit-picking isn’t enough.
—Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 19 Jan. 2026
Using metal as a pick is rare, but not unheard of – Brian May (Queen) uses an old English sixpence, Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) has had a peso in his picking hand, there's Eddie Van Halen of course, and Phil Collen (Def Leppard) has rocked the bright attack of metal on metal too.
—New Atlas, 19 Jan. 2026
Elkington, who hails from a small village near London and emigrated to the Midwest in the 1990s, brings with him a deft picking style and a grounding in European folk traditions.
—Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 9 Jan. 2026
Visit in the fall for quintessential activities like apple picking, a corn maze, and trolley rides.
—Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
Autonomous bin picking At CES, Alpha is operating live at the Schaeffler Group booth.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
From the costume-picking process to the crazy disguises stars must wear off camera, keep scrolling for the wildest rules contestants on The Masked Singer must follow.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 7 Jan. 2026
Other photos show them on the sand with their arms around each other and sharing a kiss, with Tatum picking her up and holding her over his head at one point.
—Lori A Bashian, FOXNews.com, 7 Jan. 2026
When your parents asked you to clean your room as a kid, that probably meant picking clothes up off the floor and putting toys away.
—Elizabeth Brownfield, Southern Living, 7 Jan. 2026
In fact, according to a new profile of Kate for The Times ahead of her 44th birthday on January 9, it was revealed that the Princess of Wales insists on doing the school run, dropping her kids off at Lambrook and picking them up, as well.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 7 Jan. 2026
Use clean pruners to cut lemons carefully, since picking too early or too late hurts flavor and future blooms.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 6 Jan. 2026
That’s not on who’s picking the team; that’s on the players.
—Scott Powers, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
Trump did get the jitters, but responded, as The Atlantic’s Jonathan Chait noted, not by caving on health care but by ranting about the filibuster, ultimately picking a different way of doubling down.
—Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025
Kellenberger pivoted, hiking north until the winter weather hit, and picking back up in March 2025.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for picking
Noun
-
For a more specialized fit, the Petite Wide-leg Pants are an excellent choice for shorter shoppers, while the Curvy Wide-leg Pants are just as comfortable and flattering (and on sale for almost $40 off).—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Jan. 2026
-
This is evidence that color drenching is a more recent design choice and might not be timeless.—
Abby Wolner,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
They’re each charged with burglary and illegally harvesting a tarpon.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The higher the range of absorption, the better the material is at harvesting solar energy.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The process for selecting Powell’s replacement began in September with an 11-candidate field that included past and current Fed officials, economists, and Wall Street investment professionals.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Belichick was a part of a five-person pool separate from the 15-man modern-era ballot, in which each voter is tasked with selecting just three members to enter the Hall.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Officials’ insistence that citizens who record agents are provoking violent retribution is a justification for what is becoming a very literal war on truth.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
25 Jan. 2026
-
In the main event of SmackDown, Trick Williams defeated Damian Priest by DQ after provoking Sami Zayn.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The water is brackish and refreshingly cold, with darting fish nibbling at dangling feet.—
Anna Zacharias,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Setting traps and baits eradicates or, at least, discourages these pests from tunneling through your garden and nibbling roots to damage perennials and shrubs.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
15 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
He’s suspected of stabbing 30-year-old mom Eliza Morales about 70 times, killing her and her unborn child before setting her home on fire, prosecutors have alleged in court.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
-
North Carolina lawmakers have called a federal judge’s order locking them out of the ongoing criminal investigative file on the August Charlotte light rail stabbing unconstitutional.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Mahan burst onto the local political scene in 2020 with his election to the City Council, only to become mayor three years later.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Blaylock remains on the city council for the time being, but a special election is expected to pick a successor, who will finish out the remainder of his term.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Now, the question of whether the US could again use force – or tactics like tariffs or sanctions – to strong-arm countries into choosing Washington’s interests over ties with China is a viable risk being evaluated in the region’s capitals.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
-
The dramatic cover continues to guide the drama of the party, from Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) choosing Benedict as her bachelor of the season to Eloise (Claudia Jessie) discovering her sister Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) had snuck in to the ball.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Picking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/picking. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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