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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of picking
Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Because fall has the right conditions for pumpkin picking, the season will keep its hold on pumpkin spice flavor, and consumers will continue to eagerly await its return each year.
—Shelley Mitchell, The Conversation, 24 Oct. 2025
Highlights include pumpkin picking, petting zoo, hayride, rock wall, apple cannons and facepainting on weekends along with Julian Food Truck and gift sop.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
Suddenly, Harner and her delicate voice and intricate acoustic finger picking had a small army of fans.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
As the realities of Dunbar’s medical needs and situation became public, the Fight Night actor’s lawyers were backed into a corner over their client’s cherry picking of CUW’s beliefs.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025
Now that's a deal ripe for the picking!
—PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
Jeez, 2017 might have been my last season picking winners.
—Vic Tafur, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Unlike seasonal farm jobs such as fruit picking, which often use H-2A guest worker visas, year-round agricultural operations such as dairy farms are ineligible for these visas.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
Time, 3 Nov. 2025
In a sneak peek video into Season 12, the cast of employees at Lisa Vanderpump’s restaurant sets the stage for some dramatic pumping, partying, and picking sides.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
Does that qualify as bold, picking a consensus preseason top-five team?
—The Athletic College Basketball Staff, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Below is this week's early stab at picking all 14 Week 9 games against the spread.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
However, individually picking the right biotech stock comes with high risk.
—Jay Woods, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
On the cover of Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes, Jacobus featured one of the title characters picking its nose.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Police said surveillance footage showed the student walking home as Love followed in her car before picking her up and driving her home.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
And Thanksgiving is no different, although picking the right potluck dish for the biggest food holiday of the year can be daunting.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025
Noun
Team it with ballet flats or sneakers for a casual day of apple-picking or tailgating this season, or dress it up with tights and boots for holiday celebrations and other special occasions.
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 29 Oct. 2025
Because fall has the right conditions for pumpkin picking, the season will keep its hold on pumpkin spice flavor, and consumers will continue to eagerly await its return each year.
—Shelley Mitchell, The Conversation, 24 Oct. 2025
Highlights include pumpkin picking, petting zoo, hayride, rock wall, apple cannons and facepainting on weekends along with Julian Food Truck and gift sop.
—Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2025
Suddenly, Harner and her delicate voice and intricate acoustic finger picking had a small army of fans.
—Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
As the realities of Dunbar’s medical needs and situation became public, the Fight Night actor’s lawyers were backed into a corner over their client’s cherry picking of CUW’s beliefs.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025
Now that's a deal ripe for the picking!
—PC Magazine, 17 Oct. 2025
Jeez, 2017 might have been my last season picking winners.
—Vic Tafur, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Unlike seasonal farm jobs such as fruit picking, which often use H-2A guest worker visas, year-round agricultural operations such as dairy farms are ineligible for these visas.
—Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
Concerned that Barack Obama was running away with the race, John McCain made an impulsive gamble, boldly picking the largely unknown Alaska governor Sarah Palin.
—Time, 3 Nov. 2025
In a sneak peek video into Season 12, the cast of employees at Lisa Vanderpump’s restaurant sets the stage for some dramatic pumping, partying, and picking sides.
—Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
Does that qualify as bold, picking a consensus preseason top-five team?
—The Athletic College Basketball Staff, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025
Below is this week's early stab at picking all 14 Week 9 games against the spread.
—Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
However, individually picking the right biotech stock comes with high risk.
—Jay Woods, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2025
On the cover of Revenge of the Lawn Gnomes, Jacobus featured one of the title characters picking its nose.
—Jordan Runtagh, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Police said surveillance footage showed the student walking home as Love followed in her car before picking her up and driving her home.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
And Thanksgiving is no different, although picking the right potluck dish for the biggest food holiday of the year can be daunting.
—Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 26 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for picking
Noun
-
Airport officials had no choice but to comply with the federal government.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Headline aficionados have an almost infinite array of choices for information and analysis, thanks to the spread of social media and the rise of independent creators who offer their expertise via newsletter or video podcast.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
As temperatures begin to cool, your gardening to-do list may include harvesting herbs that won’t survive impending freezing weather.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
22 Oct. 2025
-
When harvesting the nuts, pickers should wear gloves to protect their hands from the walnuts' juice, which will stain hands.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Valentini praised the team behind the auction houses and highlighted their involvement in the process of selecting the lots.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
31 Oct. 2025
-
The government responded by establishing a new facility in California and selecting the site under a committee chaired by aviator Charles Lindbergh.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Their inclusion underlines the wider context of the film, provoking the audience to hold these pure and impure images together.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Oct. 2025
-
So too did Biden’s policy of keeping Ukraine on life support while revealing fear of provoking Putin.—
Kathleen Collins,
Twin Cities,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Even shoppers nibbling on a slice of pizza seemed to be mocking him.—
Jeff Pearlman,
Rolling Stone,
17 Oct. 2025
-
But now social media is eating media-media’s lunch, nibbling into time that used to be spent watching TV and movies, particularly for younger generations, and refashioning itself less as a network and more as a broadcaster.—
Julie Beck,
The Atlantic,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Not his first murder In 1988, Andres was convicted of stabbing to death 32-year-old Linda Azcarreta, a friend of his wife.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Police in Kansas have arrested a former TV news anchor in connection to the stabbing death of her elderly mother.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Writing for the 4-3 majority of the court, Justice Shawn Womack overturned a decision by 16th Judicial Circuit Judge Holly Meyer requiring the Cleburne County Clerk to count the signatures on the petition and certify the measure, which had initially been pushed for the 2024 election.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The election results could spur one party to reach a deal sooner rather than later, clearing the way for federal employees and benefits to be paid again.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Since becoming parents, McIver and Byrne have remained private about their family, choosing not to share photos of their daughter on social media.—
Francesca Gariano,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
-
In Mississippi, the number of folks choosing to drop coverage is projected to spike 65%, per the Urban Institute’s numbers.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Picking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/picking. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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