as in intercepting
to stop, seize, or interrupt while in progress or on course
picked off more passes than any other player in the division
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of picking off
Bears defensive back Tyrique Stevenson, who had earlier recovered a fumble and has been on a playmaking tear, opened the second half by picking off Geno Smith and putting the Bears at the Raiders’ 40-yard line.
—
Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Unsurprisingly, a new Ghostface shows up on set and begins picking off both the cast and their real-life counterparts.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Sep. 2025
Staley struck again on the next possession, picking off a Sagapolutele sideline pass.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Sep. 2025
The Dead Don't Die In Jim Jarmusch's absurdist apocalypse comedy, flesh-craving zombies raid the once-tranquil town of Centerville, picking off its residents one by one.
—James Mercadante, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Bailey wound up deflecting 21 throws and picking off 10 others.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
The Soviets have put down a rebellion against the puppet government that ruled in Budapest and are now in the process of picking off the politicians, students, and general who had led it.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2025
Indeed, what Ransom did after picking off Mason Rudolph and returning the ball 16 yards didn’t look much like that at all.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2025
The Jayhawks also caused two turnovers by picking off Fresno State quarterback EJ Warner once in each half.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2025
Jon Greenberg, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
Unsurprisingly, a new Ghostface shows up on set and begins picking off both the cast and their real-life counterparts.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Sep. 2025
Staley struck again on the next possession, picking off a Sagapolutele sideline pass.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Sep. 2025
The Dead Don't Die In Jim Jarmusch's absurdist apocalypse comedy, flesh-craving zombies raid the once-tranquil town of Centerville, picking off its residents one by one.
—James Mercadante, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Bailey wound up deflecting 21 throws and picking off 10 others.
—Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
The Soviets have put down a rebellion against the puppet government that ruled in Budapest and are now in the process of picking off the politicians, students, and general who had led it.
—Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2025
Indeed, what Ransom did after picking off Mason Rudolph and returning the ball 16 yards didn’t look much like that at all.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2025
The Jayhawks also caused two turnovers by picking off Fresno State quarterback EJ Warner once in each half.
—Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 24 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for picking off
Verb
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However, the option of having an uncrewed aircraft or drone for missions and intercepting enemy jets is too good an opportunity to miss.—
Abhishek Bhardwaj,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Oct. 2025
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The Patriot is credited with intercepting next-generation Russian weapons debuted in the more than three-and-a-half years of full-scale war in Ukraine, like hypersonic missiles.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Securing the Shield ensures the top seed for Philly and home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup playoffs for a team that has quietly gone about a consistent season without grabbing much in the way of attention.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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Without strangers lunging at her and grabbing her forearm.—
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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While use of VPNs that mask users’ true geographic location is viable in many cases, that remedy is likely to become less effective as sites begin blocking the IP addresses VPN users are assigned.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
9 Oct. 2025
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The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is set to hold oral arguments at noon on whether to lift a lower court’s order blocking the deployment of troops into Portland, while a District Judge in Chicago has a hearing at the same time to consider stopping the deployment of the National Guard in Illinois.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Picking off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/picking%20off. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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