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
Kelsey Stewart, Glamour, 6 June 2026
The five men were working in an area of Calabria well known for its fruit picking and about 20 miles away from where the four were found dead, according to authorities.
—Matteo Moschella, NBC news, 4 June 2026
Plus, Supertramp already has the US$495K Megatron for those buyers who want to go straight to a turnkey top-of-line rig without sinking time into picking and choosing their own add-ons.
—New Atlas, 4 June 2026
Reservations are recommended on weekends, when the farm gets busy, and during its special date night flower picking-and-picnic events.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 3 June 2026
Equipped with dual robotic arms, the robot can autonomously perform tasks such as material handling, shelf picking, inventory replenishment, and internal transportation.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
With both apple and peach picking canceled this year, the family is encouraging customers to continue supporting the farm by purchasing other seasonal crops, including strawberries, asparagus and corn.
—Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 28 May 2026
Come summer, colorful cornucopias of tomatoes, okra, squash, peppers, and more, are ripe for the picking.
—Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 22 May 2026
Go apple picking at Grieg Farm.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 17 May 2026
Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
Göransson had a tough time picking a favorite, too.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2026
This will lead to smearing dust particles around instead of picking them up, which is where a wet cloth comes into play.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
Duncan credits the groups with picking an optimal time for their excursions.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
But instead of the Head of Households pitting players against each other, the two HOHs kept working together picking their nominees, and the same people kept getting nominated week after week, and contestants kept throwing competitions — taking any sort of tension out of the proceedings.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026
Bettors could like the the payoff of picking Netherlands to win it all.
—Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
Of course, the hardest part is picking just one.
—Sarah Scott, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 June 2026
There is not one set rule on picking a captain, especially for a World Cup.
—Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Noun
Bonus points for picking separates in the same color palette (red and white is a particularly cute, preppy combo, as shown above).
—Kelsey Stewart, Glamour, 6 June 2026
The five men were working in an area of Calabria well known for its fruit picking and about 20 miles away from where the four were found dead, according to authorities.
—Matteo Moschella, NBC news, 4 June 2026
Plus, Supertramp already has the US$495K Megatron for those buyers who want to go straight to a turnkey top-of-line rig without sinking time into picking and choosing their own add-ons.
—New Atlas, 4 June 2026
Reservations are recommended on weekends, when the farm gets busy, and during its special date night flower picking-and-picnic events.
—Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 3 June 2026
Equipped with dual robotic arms, the robot can autonomously perform tasks such as material handling, shelf picking, inventory replenishment, and internal transportation.
—Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
With both apple and peach picking canceled this year, the family is encouraging customers to continue supporting the farm by purchasing other seasonal crops, including strawberries, asparagus and corn.
—Madeleine Wright, CBS News, 28 May 2026
Come summer, colorful cornucopias of tomatoes, okra, squash, peppers, and more, are ripe for the picking.
—Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 22 May 2026
Go apple picking at Grieg Farm.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 17 May 2026
Verb
Somebody lucked out on a pick-six — picking six consecutive winners in a row at the track.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
Göransson had a tough time picking a favorite, too.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2026
This will lead to smearing dust particles around instead of picking them up, which is where a wet cloth comes into play.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
Duncan credits the groups with picking an optimal time for their excursions.
—ABC News, 4 June 2026
But instead of the Head of Households pitting players against each other, the two HOHs kept working together picking their nominees, and the same people kept getting nominated week after week, and contestants kept throwing competitions — taking any sort of tension out of the proceedings.
—Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 4 June 2026
Bettors could like the the payoff of picking Netherlands to win it all.
—Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 4 June 2026
Of course, the hardest part is picking just one.
—Sarah Scott, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 June 2026
There is not one set rule on picking a captain, especially for a World Cup.
—Michael Lewis, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for picking
Noun
-
The worst place at a factory to work for was always the screen-printing department—the hot metal and lacquer thinner produce pungent toxins that workers have no choice but to inhale.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
The Fantasy 5 evening drawing popped up 5, 11, 15, 24 and 35, a popular choice by man and machine.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Last year, the singer found himself at the center of the high-fence hunting debate after harvesting a world-record Transcaspian urial ram at Texas' Covered S Ranch.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
-
But a farmer harvesting 150 bushels of corn per year from a field must replenish the nutrients to grow corn again the next year.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Look for resistant varieties when selecting tomato plants for the garden.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
-
Their tendency for selecting innovative fabrics and producing low quantities meant most consumers were priced out of wearing their designs—a mindset that Herrebrugh and Botter said was born from their formal training and has evolved with more experience.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
The Lounge hosts rotating art exhibits, spotlighting thought-provoking pieces like ceramics from Thai artist Bathma Kaew-Ngok and showstopping floral arrangements by Naomi Daimaru.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
For years, people took photos of themselves on the 666 to Hel and shared them on social media, relishing the coincidence of a bus to a beach resort provoking mental images of damnation, thanks to the similarity of the town's name to the English word hell.—
Anna Noryskiewicz,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
To avoid your dog nibbling on dangerous plants altogether, take the following steps.—
Amy DeYoung,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
-
Eight neighbors, including Pugliese, sit around the coffee table sipping wine and nibbling on cheese cubes and fish dip, a black cat named Aura circling their ankles.—
Jessica Blough,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
Advertisement In the fight, Ruben begins to strangle Niall, though Niall protects himself by stabbing Ruben in the side with a knife.—
Barry Levitt,
Time,
29 May 2026
-
The 23-year-old man was suicidal and held a butcher’s knife to his own throat before charging at officers and stabbing both Officer Mark Moore and a police dog at an Aurora apartment complex.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Nithya Raman has overtaken former reality TV star Spencer Pratt in the city's mayoral race, closing in on a runoff election with Mayor Karen Bass.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
Energy prices have spiked, posing political problems for the Republican Party ahead of midterm congressional elections in November.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
When the fabric is right, your comfort is sure to follow — but choosing pieces that are also work-appropriate is trickier.—
Tanya Sharma,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
-
The lack of clarity makes choosing a company potentially confusing for patients, and the medical profession is partly to blame, said Jamy Ard, an obesity doctor and researcher at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.—
Maia Rosenfeld,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Picking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/picking. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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