Synonyms of picks

picks 1 of 2

noun

plural of pick

1

as in bets

a person or thing that is chosen

that team is my pick to win the Super Bowl

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bets
• choices
• selections
• favorites
• chosen
• nominees
• candidates
• options
• nominations
• likes
• preferences
• appointments
• likings
• appointees
• designations
• electives
• selectees
• preselections

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rejectees

2

as in best

individuals carefully selected as being the best of a class

the pick of the contestants will go on to the next competition

Synonyms & Similar Words

• best
• tops
• choices
• elect
• elites
• aristocracies
• flowers
• royalties
• qualities
• creams
• pinks
• societies
• prides
• Halls of Fame
• primes
• A-lists
• upper crusts
• fat
• priesthoods
• crème de la crème
• illuminati
• upper classes
• nobilities
• establishments
• corps d'elite
• gentries
• top drawers
• caviars
• who's whos

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• millions
• masses
• multitudes
• herds
• commoners
• mobs
• unwasheds
• rank and files
• hoi polloi

3

as in options

the power, right, or opportunity to choose

you have first pick of your office mates for the softball team

Synonyms & Similar Words

• options
• choices
• selections
• alternatives
• preferences
• ways
• elections
• liberties
• votes
• druthers
• volitions
• says
• discretions
• determinations
• wills
• voices
• tendencies
• likings
• free wills
• predilections
• inclinations
• proclivities
• judgments
• propensities
• penchants
• partialities
• discernments
• perspicacities

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• forces
• duties
• obligations
• coercions
• duresses
• Hobson's choices

4

as in blows

a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument

in the days when corporal punishment was permissible, it was not uncommon for an inattentive student to get a sharp pick in the head with a blackboard pointer

Synonyms & Similar Words

• blows
• punches
• swipes
• hits
• slaps
• thumps
• knocks
• pounds
• whacks
• thuds
• licks
• pokes
• strokes
• smacks
• beats
• spanks
• clips
• slams
• bangs
• claps
• hooks
• chops
• switches
• hands
• socks
• swats
• kicks
• hacks
• bops
• bashes
• pelts
• belts
• raps
• lashes
• cuffs
• bats
• buffets
• biffs
• fillips
• boxes
• smashes
• stripes
• plumps
• busts
• thwacks
• whams
• haymakers
• dabs
• knees
• clouts
• slugs
• lickings
• stingers
• cracks
• swings
• douses
• wallops
• whops
• welts
• larrups
• beatings
• counters
• lefts
• counterstrokes
• counterpunches
• shivers
• counterblows
• body blows
• whips
• rights
• rabbit punches
• sucker punches
• uppercuts
• knockdowns
• KOs
• crunchers
• batterings
• roundhouses
• pastings
• whippings
• right-handers
• thrashings
• drubbings
• sidewinders
• knockouts
• kayos
• bastinadoes
• wallopings
• one-twos

picks

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of pick

1

as in harvests

to catch or collect (a crop or natural resource) for human use

pick peas and beans from the garden for dinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

• harvests
• gathers
• grows
• reaps
• fishes
• mows
• gleans
• accumulates
• cuts
• seals
• crops
• clams
• garners
• captures
• bags
• traps
• hunts
• forages
• whales
• nets
• shrimps
• raises
• snares
• hays

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• plants
• seeds
• sows

2

as in selects

to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities

I pick you as my partner

Synonyms & Similar Words

• selects
• chooses
• takes
• names
• elects
• prefers
• handpicks
• culls
• tags
• cherry-picks
• designates
• opts (for)
• nominates
• singles (out)
• taps
• accepts
• adopts
• appoints
• preselects
• marks
• tabs
• sets
• embraces
• fixes
• espouses
• settles (on or upon)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rejects
• refuses
• declines
• turns down
• spurns
• disapproves
• repudiates
• discards
• negatives
• throws out
• throws away
• jettisons

3

as in provokes

to bring (something volatile or intense) into being

he seems to be trying to pick a fight

Synonyms & Similar Words

• provokes
• raises
• promotes
• triggers
• encourages
• incites
• sets in motion
• brews
• stirs (up)
• instigates
• ferments
• stimulates
• whips (up)
• foments
• cultivates
• abets
• inspires
• forwards
• sets off
• fosters
• nurtures
• motivates
• advances
• sets
• furthers
• nourishes
• sows
• detonates
• rouses
• excites
• activates
• galvanizes
• energizes
• inflames
• quickens
• enlivens
• fires
• vitalizes
• invigorates
• peps (up)
• livens (up)
• jazzes (up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• holds
• checks
• regulates
• reins (in)
• inhibits
• restrains
• curbs
• discourages
• constrains
• tames
• settles
• calms
• bridles
• soothes
• subdues
• quiets
• stills
• allays
• tranquilizes

4

as in nibbles

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

• nibbles
• snacks
• pecks
• grazes
• tastes
• noshes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• gorges
• swills
• overeats
• pigs out
• gormandizes

5

as in stabs

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

• stabs
• punctures
• sticks
• pierces
• jabs
• spits
• pecks
• spikes
• spears
• pokes
• punches
• transfixes
• impales
• runs through
• slices
• gores
• lances
• skewers
• pinks
• transpierces
• harpoons
• cuts
• perforates
• spindles
• thrusts
• riddles
• quills
• pricks
• knifes
• pikes
• poniards
• gimlets
• dirks
• bayonets
• prongs
• pinpricks

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of picks

Noun

Teams generally have their top draft picks sit out the final game. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026

Whether Anaheim matches the offer or takes the four first-round draft picks, there will be aftershocks. — Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 7 July 2026

All night long there was the ringing clatter of picks and shovels; the Germans were digging trenches in the frozen ground. — Vasily Grossman, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026

In each of the same four years, several Padres rivals in the annual wild-card race have continued to receive these picks, which can be traded. — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 July 2026

Additionally, the brand’s clearance section offers super steep discounts—as in, up to 80% off (for our top picks, at least). — Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 6 July 2026

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 July 2026

Also, the acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith and second-round draft picks in 2027, 2028 and 2033 for cash considerations went through. — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026

The Lakers started reloading their draft assets by trading Deandre Ayton on Friday, shipping the big man to Washington for Jaden Hardy and second-round draft picks in 2031 and 2032. — Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026

Verb

Here are our interns’ top fireworks picks for the 2026 season. — Sacbee.com, 28 June 2026

Each time picks five players, with the winner decided by whichever team scores more out of those five attempts. — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 June 2026

And with all the trades Peterson has pulled off in his tenure at the helm, the Hornets boast a treasure trove of draft picks just over the next five years alone. — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026

Upon Paula’s release, Karl picks her up and is his usual confusing shamble of one part compassion and two parts boundaries. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 1 July 2026

Forward Andrei Kuzmenko picks the Penguins Pittsburgh and 30-year-old Andrei Kuzmenko agreed on a one-year deal on July 1. — Patrick Damp, CBS News, 1 July 2026

Meanwhile, James floated the idea publicly about ending his career in Cleveland and publicly praised the LA Rams for dealing draft picks to ensure a Super Bowl-contending team. — Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

New reads abound for your vacation tote throughout the weeks of July, with fiction picks featuring a Carnival cruise casualty, a highly entertaining jewel heist at the Waldorf-Astoria, and a Soviet-era madcap adventure. — Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026

Subscribe here to our newsletter, In Review by David Ehrlich, in which our Chief Film Critic and Head Reviews Editor rounds up the best new reviews and streaming picks along with some exclusive musings — all only available to subscribers. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 30 June 2026