PICKING UP Synonyms: 333 Similar and Opposite Words

picking up

verb

present participle of pick up

as in mastering

to acquire complete knowledge, understanding, or skill in he has a knack for picking up a language in a few weeks

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as in assembling

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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as in buying

to get possession of (something) by giving money in exchange for could you pick up some milk at the store?

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as in growing (in)

to gradually increase in the boat was just picking up speed when it was rammed by another boat

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as in lifting

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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as in arresting

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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as in cleaning 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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as in resuming

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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as in trimming

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of picking up Henderson sent several texts to a partner at DTLA about picking up checks for his work in Val Verde, according to messages reviewed by The Times. — Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026 Later in the second half, Olise teed up Ousmane Dembele with prodded outside-of-the-boot passes after picking up loose balls in front of the defence. — Thom Harris, New York Times, 4 July 2026 Especially at Louisville, just making that big jump, picking up full court, just being a dog, being scrappy, getting through screens, just everything like that. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 25 June 2026 Reese looked cooked after picking up four quick fouls in the first half, spending way too much time riding the pine. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026 Folks shivering in the freezing cold to deliver our packages, picking up trash to keep our parks clean. — Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 18 June 2026 These crafts are perfect for putting down your phone and picking up a creative outlet. — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 2026 Be sure to give your eyes time to adjust and use your phone's camera to scan the sky, as your phone's camera is better at picking up faint auroras than the naked eye. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 4 June 2026 Residents, businesses and organizations are also invited to participate in the department’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline awareness campaign by picking up a 988 yard sign at the county office at 2170 Point Blvd. — Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for picking up

Verb

Long days were spent cleaning, drawing and waiting for customers during slow periods, all while mastering a craft that permanently alters another person’s body.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
The course is built to walk parents step-by-step through mastering budget-busting expenses like diapers, wipes, formula, and groceries while building a supportive community of like-minded moms.

— Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 31 July 2026

Definition of mastering

Verb

That inference used to be reliable because assembling a fake crowd was expensive.

— Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
As Christie’s notes in the sale catalog, the family continued that commitment across five generations, assembling a collection that reflects both their eye for art and their role in shaping its history.

— Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 29 July 2026

Definition of assembling

Verb

While buying well and structuring transactions matter, the greatest advantage of the top PE firms lies in their relentless focus on creating operational value after the acquisition.

— Peter Follows, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Since then, she’s lost 15 pounds and found a whole new appreciation for the act of buying clothes.

— Elyse Moody, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026

Definition of buying

Verb

Gogo's Galileo system, which uses the Eutelsat OneWeb low Earth orbit network, is gaining market share (the company also has a three-year price guarantee) and is being rolled out on more aircraft types.

— Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
And developers submitted a proposal to the city last spring, which is currently still in the process of gaining approval from Parkville’s Planning and Zoning Commission.

— Jenna Ebbers, Kansas City Star, 24 July 2026

Definition of gaining

Verb

Fresh from lifting the FIFA Club World Cup and buoyed by optimism around Enzo Maresca’s project, the Blues stumbled to a disappointing 10th-place Premier League finish.

— Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Rising domestic yields are unnerving investors, while currency weakness is lifting dollar‑denominated debt‑servicing costs in real time.

— William Pesek, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of lifting

Verb

Embracing jazz mysticism and trip-hop rhythms, the singer-songwriter takes some worthwhile risks on her arresting new album.

— Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 29 July 2026
The month prior, Ariana Grande demanded that the administration stop using her music in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement TikTok video depicting federal agents arresting and handcuffing people.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 29 July 2026

Definition of arresting

Verb

Trump had wanted to avoid resuming hostilities after signing a cease-fire agreement last month at Versailles, of all places.

— Jonathan Lemire, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
Odds of ship traffic resuming normally this year stand at 38%, while odds are only somewhat better, at 48%, that regular shipments will be reached before April 2027.

— Ananya Chetia, CNBC, 24 July 2026