as in choice
the act or process of selecting
the picking of new recruits went on for three days
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in harvesting
to catch or collect (a crop or natural resource) for human use
pick peas and beans from the garden for dinner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in selecting
to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities
I pick you as my partner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in provoking
to bring (something volatile or intense) into being
he seems to be trying to pick a fight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in nibbling
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in stabbing
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of picking
Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 14 May 2026
The approach was aimed at prioritizing employee safety during the picking and packing of orders and was designed to reduce the distance delivery partners need to travel, enabling faster delivery times.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 13 May 2026
The Ripari Villabruna dental work may have been a logical progression from tooth-picking, a practice which not only removes stray food particles but can also pry loose infected tissue (don’t try this at home).
—ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026
Regular Harvesting Frequent picking is essential for prolonging your cucumber harvest.
—Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 13 May 2026
The art section of most thrift shops is ripe for the picking.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 4 May 2026
Putting in the elbow grease can be more powerful than a flashy college degree or pedigree—and the former Goldman Sachs CEO said great careers are actually ripe for the picking if professionals seize the moment and work hard.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
These were nearing the end of the season but there were still plenty of the tightly closed, spiky bulbous vegetables for the picking.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026
With smaller pests like aphids, the cultural control option extends less into hand-picking and more into treatment.
—Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026
Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
So picking the right actors was very important for me.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
The president himself, the leader of your party who wanted this redistricting, has also been directly involved in some of these primary races, picking candidates.
—CBS News, 17 May 2026
Those were fun days, trying to keep the boys engaged instead of making piles of sand or picking dandelions was a tall task in practice and during the games.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Synthesizing all that information into a draft board, even at the top, isn’t an instant process for staff that have been hammering away at this all year, let alone for a team like the Chicago Bulls, picking fourth, that hired its general manager a week ago.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Pontillo said customers new to dirty soda should just start by picking their favorite soda and go from there.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026
There is nothing quite like the joy of picking fresh fruit from your own fruit tree.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 10 May 2026
The Blueprint included picking the right high school.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2026
Noun
Scratching and picking can also delay healing and cause scarring or permanent discoloration of the skin.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 14 May 2026
The approach was aimed at prioritizing employee safety during the picking and packing of orders and was designed to reduce the distance delivery partners need to travel, enabling faster delivery times.
—Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 13 May 2026
The Ripari Villabruna dental work may have been a logical progression from tooth-picking, a practice which not only removes stray food particles but can also pry loose infected tissue (don’t try this at home).
—ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026
Regular Harvesting Frequent picking is essential for prolonging your cucumber harvest.
—Shelby Vittek, The Spruce, 13 May 2026
The art section of most thrift shops is ripe for the picking.
—Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 4 May 2026
Putting in the elbow grease can be more powerful than a flashy college degree or pedigree—and the former Goldman Sachs CEO said great careers are actually ripe for the picking if professionals seize the moment and work hard.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026
These were nearing the end of the season but there were still plenty of the tightly closed, spiky bulbous vegetables for the picking.
—Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Apr. 2026
With smaller pests like aphids, the cultural control option extends less into hand-picking and more into treatment.
—Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
This is as important, and as boring, in theory, as picking a fund for your 401(k), yet, improbably, the draft has become one of the largest events on the sporting calendar.
—Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
So picking the right actors was very important for me.
—Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026
The president himself, the leader of your party who wanted this redistricting, has also been directly involved in some of these primary races, picking candidates.
—CBS News, 17 May 2026
Those were fun days, trying to keep the boys engaged instead of making piles of sand or picking dandelions was a tall task in practice and during the games.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 15 May 2026
Synthesizing all that information into a draft board, even at the top, isn’t an instant process for staff that have been hammering away at this all year, let alone for a team like the Chicago Bulls, picking fourth, that hired its general manager a week ago.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Pontillo said customers new to dirty soda should just start by picking their favorite soda and go from there.
—Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026
There is nothing quite like the joy of picking fresh fruit from your own fruit tree.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 10 May 2026
The Blueprint included picking the right high school.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 9 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for picking
Noun
-
At the 2023 Genesis Invitational, Rai ditched his own practice regimen to watch his idol, Tiger Woods, play in the pro-am, not caring what others would think about the choice.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
The broader macro environment is also affecting consumer choices.—
,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
Landscape designer Ben Gordon of Metropolitan Garden and Design notes that harvesting the outer leaves first allows the inner leaves to continue growing, with many varieties ready to harvest by April or May.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Kansas City Star,
13 May 2026
-
Cut-and-come-again is a gardening practice that involves harvesting only the outer, mature leaves of the plant, leaving young leaves or root systems alone.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
11 May 2026
Verb
-
The label will also guide you in selecting the correct washing cycle, water temperature, and best drying choices.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
-
District leaders make up the Brooklyn Democratic Party’s obscure but powerful governing body that largely controls selecting judges, party priorities, and spending.—
Adam Davis,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
On May 18, Venus will conclude its journey through the flirtatious and thought-provoking sign of Gemini and enter the sentimental and hopeless romantic sign of Cancer.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
18 May 2026
-
The neighborhood’s creative spirit shines at Cam Raleigh, a dynamic contemporary art space with thought-provoking works rooted in community and regional narratives.—
Kristy Tolley,
Travel + Leisure,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Growing clover in your yard can distract deer and rabbits from nibbling on other garden plants.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 May 2026
-
The parrot has since moved from Auteuil’s head to a perch on his shoulder, nibbling at his ear with complete proprietary confidence.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Authorities were hunting for three days for the suspect after a gruesome late-night stabbing murder on Sunday in a laundry room in the Nordheim Court apartments.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
An Alhambra man faces a possible 24-year prison sentence for fatally stabbing a 17-year-old boy waiting for his mother and for trying to kill a man, both in El Sereno, three years ago.—
Ruby Gonzales,
Daily News,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
What’s more, Jeffries argued that Democrats had been on a roll since the 2024 election.—
Jason Zengerle,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Using presidential election results to analyze House races is far from a perfect forecast for the 2026 midterms.—
Ashley Wu,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
How to handle it safely For dogs that only graze occasionally, the main precaution should be choosing safe locations.—
Diana Bocco,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
By choosing investment banking, an industry almost entirely based in Manhattan, students were expressing a predilection for its unique lifestyle and consumption options.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Picking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/picking. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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