Skip to main content
to pick

to pick

1.0
To choose carefully from a group
  • verb
  • /pɪk/
translation icon : elegir
  • We get to pick what books we're reading, and we get to pick what we want.
  • pick one
  • pick the best
  • pick and choose

We might see it and say they're picking the the winner.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The teacher should then tell the student to "pick one" and wait 5 seconds.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Just pick an envelope and tell me what it says I have to do.

  • Now it is your turn to pick the the next course.

  • Pick your company, pick someone that you agree with.

  • The interventionist then asked her to pick other fun and easy books to take home to read.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Ms. Felix works with James to pick an option that works best for him related to his writing.

    Academic text (2013)
  • You've got surveys and you have to pick the top questions.

  • And at the end, pick the best slime candy.

  • It is important to carefully pick the right ingredients for your recipe.

  • Before you make a decision, take your time to pick the best option from the available choices.

Synonyms

to choose
vsto pick
1.0

Pick one thing or person from a group

stresses careful selection from options rather than general decision making
to take
vsto pick
1.0

Choose something from several options

emphasizes careful selection rather than simply taking or buying
to select
vsto pick
823 2.5

To choose someone or something from a group

is about careful deciding among options rather than casual choice
to make a decision
vsto pick
274 1.0

To choose what to do after thinking about the options

is a quicker careful selection among items, not a full decision process
to pick out
vsto pick
237 2.0

Choose one person or thing from a group

is about careful choosing overall, not just pointing out items
to opt
vsto pick
218 3.2

To choose one thing from two or more options

is more about close attention to choice quality than mere preference
to go with
vsto pick
181 1.1

To choose one thing from several options

is more deliberate and careful than an informal quick choice
to opt for
vsto pick
63 3.5

Choose one thing from several available

is about careful choosing between items rather than expressing preference
to cherry-pick
vsto pick
  • Informal
23 6.3

To choose only the best people or things for yourself

is neutral careful choosing for suitability, not biased advantage seeking
to hand-pick
vsto pick
20 3.8

To choose carefully by yourself for a special purpose

is general careful choosing, not always personal selection for a purpose
to take your pick
vsto pick
19 3.6

Choose any one you want from the options

implies more careful, deliberate choice rather than casual freedom
to handpick
vsto pick
4 3.7

Choose the best items by hand one by one

is careful deciding but may not involve physical selection by hand
to preselect
vsto pick
3 3.7

Choose something in advance

is about careful choosing at the moment rather than prior selection
to select out
vsto pick
1 4.4

To choose some items from a group and separate them from others

focuses on careful choice among options rather than physical separation

Antonyms

839 1.9

Refuse to accept someone or something

Idioms

Choose any one you want from the options

5 3.7

The best or most wanted one in a group, like the strongest puppy

5 5.8

To choose which problems to deal with instead of trying to solve every problem

Challenge someone of similar size or strength instead of someone weaker

1 8.6

To accept a challenge and try to meet it

To leave a group or activity because you do not get your way

Leave a meeting or project because you are upset

To get better after a failure and start again

Phrasal Verbs

2.5

To get something from a store or give someone a ride

2.6

To learn or notice something often by chance

834 1.0

To lift something or someone from the ground with your hands

237 2.0

Choose one person or thing from a group

165 3.0

To get better or stronger

to pick on
  • Informal
156 3.5

To say mean things to someone again and again because they seem weaker

142 3.9

To notice something that is not obvious

to pick up
  • NSFW
126 8.2

To meet someone to start a romantic or sexual relationship

to pick up
  • Informal
125 3.9

To take someone to the police because they are suspected of a crime

77 2.8

To pay for something, often for someone else

64 3.0

Notice a sound or sight among other things

24 4.0

To eat small bits of food by pecking like a bird

to cherry-pick
  • Informal
23 6.3

To choose only the best people or things for yourself

To move or work faster

to pick off
  • Offensive
22 8.0

Shoot and kill opponents one by one from a hidden place

20 3.8

To choose carefully by yourself for a special purpose

to pick apart
  • Informal
14 5.2

To find faults in ideas or work by pointing out small problems

11 3.4

To show a color or detail from another thing

9 4.3

Pull things away one at a time

5 4.6

Eat very small amounts of food when not feeling hungry

5 3.8

Pull at something with your fingers again and again, often nervously

3 5.7

Keep finding small faults in someone or their ideas

2 3.6

To look through items carefully to choose the best or remove bad ones

2 7.7

To open a lock without a key by using tools

1 7.0

Choose only data that supports an idea and ignore data that disagrees

1 4.2

Do something slowly and without interest, often doing only small parts

To start an earlier activity or conversation again after an interruption

to cherry-pick
  • Specialized
6.5

To copy one change from a code branch into another without copying other changes

Touching scabs again and again so they do not heal, sometimes meaning you reopen old hurts

To ask someone for ideas or advice about something they know well

5.3

To put a finger in your nose to remove mucus

7.8

To put a needle into dropped or unfinished loops to fix knitting

Compounds

26 4.2

A drink or small activity that makes you feel more energetic when tired

20 3.5

A metal tool with a sharp point that you use to break blocks of ice

pick-off
  • Specialized
5 7.5

A play where the pitcher or catcher throws quickly to tag a runner off base

4 2.9

A small flat piece for plucking or strumming guitar strings

A player chosen by a team's captain to play in a game

1 7.9

A small hooked tool to clean mud and stones from a horse's hoof

nose-pick
  • Offensive
1 8.6

Putting a finger inside your nose or a person who does this

Niemann-Pick disease
  • Specialized
9.8

A rare disease passed from parents that makes fat build up in the body's cells

pick mattock
  • Specialized
8.6

A tool with a pointed end and a flat blade for digging and breaking hard soil or rock

pick-mattock
  • Specialized
8.4

A hand tool with a pointed end and a flat blade for digging and breaking hard rocky soil

9.9

A girl who wants men's approval by putting herself or other women down

How Carefully

to hand-pick
20 3.8
to select
823 2.5
to pick
1.0
to choose
1.0

Surface Forms

pick infinitive
picked past
picked past participle
picking present participle
picks third person singular

Etymology

Pick comes from an old word for a 'point' or 'to pluck', and it grew to mean taking something out by a small movement; so to pick is to choose one thing out of a group.