1
as in mastering
to acquire complete knowledge, understanding, or skill in
he has a knack for picking up a language in a few weeks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in buying
to get possession of (something) by giving money in exchange for
could you pick up some milk at the store?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in growing (in)
to gradually increase in
the boat was just picking up speed when it was rammed by another boat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
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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8
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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9
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of picking up
The White House has scheduled a party for Friday and you, taxpayer, will be picking up the check – in more ways than one.
—
Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2026
Guardsmen are also carrying out civic duties like picking up trash, tending to landscaping and scrubbing graffiti.
—Steven Beynon, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
Other special honors include Miley Cyrus getting the iHeartRadio Innovator Award, Alex Warren receiving the iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award, and John Mellencamp picking up the iHeartRadio Icon Award.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
The video shows Paul hitting Mortensen, grabbing him around the neck and kicking him before picking up metal barstools and throwing them in his direction.
—Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 19 Mar. 2026
Porch Marietta chapter member Debby Kramb was out on a cold, wet morning picking up food donations for the nonprofit.
—Emily McLeod, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
With five miles to the finish line and no one else picking up pace, Martin decided to push himself to the end.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Age is also key here — the Bulls wouldn’t help themselves by picking up a big who’s already in his late 20s, aging him out of the current plan focused around 21-year-old Matas Buzelis.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
Trent Perry is picking up the slack for the UCLA basketball team.
—Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 26 Mar. 2026
Guardsmen are also carrying out civic duties like picking up trash, tending to landscaping and scrubbing graffiti.
—Steven Beynon, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
Other special honors include Miley Cyrus getting the iHeartRadio Innovator Award, Alex Warren receiving the iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award, and John Mellencamp picking up the iHeartRadio Icon Award.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 19 Mar. 2026
The video shows Paul hitting Mortensen, grabbing him around the neck and kicking him before picking up metal barstools and throwing them in his direction.
—Julianna Duennes Russ, Austin American Statesman, 19 Mar. 2026
Porch Marietta chapter member Debby Kramb was out on a cold, wet morning picking up food donations for the nonprofit.
—Emily McLeod, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
With five miles to the finish line and no one else picking up pace, Martin decided to push himself to the end.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
Age is also key here — the Bulls wouldn’t help themselves by picking up a big who’s already in his late 20s, aging him out of the current plan focused around 21-year-old Matas Buzelis.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
Trent Perry is picking up the slack for the UCLA basketball team.
—Daily News, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for picking up
Verb
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Join us for a virtual Fortune 500 Europe C-suite conversation, in partnership with Syndio, on mastering workforce decisions and pay transparency in the age of AI.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
-
Suno devised all the vocals, instrumentation, arrangements, production, mixing and mastering for all of Tempchin’s songs on both those albums.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The suspect spent weeks planning the attack, eventually assembling Molotov cocktails and conducting surveillance of Kiswani’s residence, according to federal complaint documents.—
Jake Offenhartz,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
-
In wars lasting a month or so with relatively low casualty rates, managing massive ammunition consumption, assembling and training replacements, and renewing equipment losses during a war, not after it, are simply not issues.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The accounts had various purposes, such as investing in securities or buying real estate.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Their charming formality recalls closets of another era, when buying well mattered more than following any passing fad.—
Alex Sales,
Glamour,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Classical music groups in the Twin Cities are rising to the task, with offerings aimed at lifting the spirit, probing the soul, and creating a hopeful vision forward.—
Sheila Regan,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The diesel shock could force some truckers to park their rigs — lifting rates for operators left standing.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The deal under discussion would fund the department except for the part of Immigration and Customs Enforcement charged with arresting and deporting undocumented immigrants.—
Theodoric Meyer,
Washington Post,
24 Mar. 2026
-
The holdup on arresting Tyson is that the public defender originally assigned to Tyson also represents Jones.—
Morgan Rynor,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Hawaii Tourism Authority said many businesses are resuming operations as usual, urging visitors to be cognizant of signage in areas like Mokuleia and Waialua.—
Tiare-Leiana Solis-Ridgell,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Chinese tour groups had made up 90% of all visitors to North Korea prior to the ban, and the delay on resuming Chinese tours surprised observers.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Officials will spend months trimming, adding to and massaging the financial books to address residents’ priorities.—
Devyani Chhetri,
Dallas Morning News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
In 2018, seventeen-year-old landscaper Alex Childress was rushed to the hospital with third-degree burns on his face after unknowingly trimming giant hogweed.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In the era of AI, the notion of learning something for yourself is a quiet, internal act of rebellion against a world that seems to be flowing in the wrong direction.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Headway Premium offers a more practical way to keep learning, with lifetime access now available for $51 as part of a sitewide sale with promo code MARCH15.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Picking up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/picking%20up. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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