1
as in to master
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 to collect
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 to buy
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 to gain
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 to lift
to move from a lower to a higher place or position
pick up your feet while I vacuum in front of the sofa
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to arrest
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law
police picked up the fugitive when she went out to buy food
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in to clean 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?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in to resume
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
as in to trim
to make neat
the boy's bedroom looked like it hadn't been picked up in quite a while
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 pick up
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
26 June 2026
Plenty of products get picked up once.
—
Joel Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, just needs to win to stand any chance of progressing out of the group after picking up just one point so far this tournament.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
26 June 2026
In just a month, over 3,000 shoppers have picked up a set of these 48-foot-long lights.
—
Melissa Epifano,
PEOPLE,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pick up
Verb
The bio-andy picked up voices somewhere inside the atrium.
—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
26 June 2026
Plenty of products get picked up once.
—
Joel Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2026
Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, just needs to win to stand any chance of progressing out of the group after picking up just one point so far this tournament.
—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
26 June 2026
In just a month, over 3,000 shoppers have picked up a set of these 48-foot-long lights.
—
Melissa Epifano,
PEOPLE,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pick up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pick up
Verb
-
For resistance training, that may mean starting with lighter weights and mastering technique before increasing load.
-
Costco has mastered this equation for years.
Verb
-
Elliott said that municipalities could issue bonds to cover the cost of the purchase and then pay those debts back over time at lower interest rates through the revenues collected from customers.
-
Some police jurisdictions send officers to physically collect weapons.
Verb
-
Laoch and Doughty bought tickets for Monday night’s Marlins game against the Texas Rangers at loanDepot park, along with more than 8,000 members of the Tartan Army.
-
To be safe, consider buying and cutting your own cantaloupe with your newfound skills.
Verb
-
Rhaenyra’s army, led by her uncle and husband Daemon (Matt Smith), is gaining strength as they’re joined by a grizzled pack of House Stark northmen known as the Winter Wolves.
-
Trump might soon gain another ideological bedfellow in Peru with the election of Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of late autocrat Alberto Fujimori.
Verb
-
Woo started the game with three hitless innings, but then fell apart in the fourth and was lifted at the end of the inning.
-
On Saturday, following the progress on the peace deal, the austerity measures had been lifted, according to local media reports.
Verb
-
The suspects arrested allegedly planned to target senior government officials with small, armed drones; no devices were launched.
-
Police later caught up to Shockley at his father’s home in New Jersey, and he was arrested and convicted of murder.
Verb
-
Closing arguments will resume Thursday in Sacramento Superior Court.
-
Officials announce service on the line will resume Friday on a holiday/weekend schedule, with busing between Miller and Hegewisch stations because of the derailment and power loss.
Verb
-
This 30-piece Bosch router bit set is a top choice for woodworkers, trim work, edge profiles, and cabinet projects.
-
Weed the edges around the sidewalk regularly and trim shrubs and grass that hang over the sidewalk because their shade can promote mold and moss growth.
Cite this Entry
“Pick up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pick%20up. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
