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
Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026
This Apple deal is ripe for the picking!
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
The best use of a financial adviser to help with investments is not in stock picking or market timing — but in deciding what percentage of your assets should be invested in stocks.
—Terry Savage, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Stock picking is a humbling business, Jim said.
—Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
Not only was the move a complete diversion from ABC’s typical method of picking leads from within the Bachelor franchise, but producers went as far as to choose a public figure — and a public figure with a very controversial past.
—Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2026
No competition, no tryouts, no picking by committee.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Mar. 2026
There are also fresh strawberries ripe for the picking, with blackberry vines along the side of the home.
—Lennie Omalza, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Mar. 2026
In addition to damage that can occur from gel and acrylic nails, brittleness, thinning, peeling and splitting can also be caused by biting, picking, and harsh chemicals.
—Dominic Cadogan, Glamour, 2 Mar. 2026
George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Rather than picking a fight with the White House, Blanco said, the judges are letting the top prosecutor fall on his face.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
Iran already is picking winners and losers from an energy standpoint, allowing a trickle of shipments to trek to China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines—a group that includes the neediest Asian nations—but these shipments are being individually negotiated.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
Yes, ever since Tish and Billy Ray Cyrus divorced, their kids have pretty much been picking sides.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 4 Apr. 2026
The earthy, herbaceous scent is described by various commenters as a match for the smell left behind on your fingers after picking a fresh tomato off the vine, or the experience of walking through a garden.
—Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2026
Law enforcement also arrested Reid's mother, Michelle Reid, who is accused of picking him up from the game after the shooting.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Kylian Mbappe’s knee might be bothering him, but head coach Didier Deschamps picking him as captain in 2023 was more than a concession to the best player in his camp.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Even if the Broncos trust Dobbins to become durable, picking his successor is logical.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
Not Trump, who, in the midst of a war with a state sponsor of terrorism, has persisted in picking fights over the funding of the Department of Homeland Security.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2026
This Apple deal is ripe for the picking!
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 1 Apr. 2026
The best use of a financial adviser to help with investments is not in stock picking or market timing — but in deciding what percentage of your assets should be invested in stocks.
—Terry Savage, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Stock picking is a humbling business, Jim said.
—Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
Not only was the move a complete diversion from ABC’s typical method of picking leads from within the Bachelor franchise, but producers went as far as to choose a public figure — and a public figure with a very controversial past.
—Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2026
No competition, no tryouts, no picking by committee.
—Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 6 Mar. 2026
There are also fresh strawberries ripe for the picking, with blackberry vines along the side of the home.
—Lennie Omalza, Louisville Courier Journal, 5 Mar. 2026
In addition to damage that can occur from gel and acrylic nails, brittleness, thinning, peeling and splitting can also be caused by biting, picking, and harsh chemicals.
—Dominic Cadogan, Glamour, 2 Mar. 2026
Verb
So is picking our favorite food, movies, sports and almost anything else where our individual preferences don’t always align with that of others.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
Rather than picking a fight with the White House, Blanco said, the judges are letting the top prosecutor fall on his face.
—Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2026
Iran already is picking winners and losers from an energy standpoint, allowing a trickle of shipments to trek to China, Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines—a group that includes the neediest Asian nations—but these shipments are being individually negotiated.
—Jordan Blum, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
Yes, ever since Tish and Billy Ray Cyrus divorced, their kids have pretty much been picking sides.
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 4 Apr. 2026
The earthy, herbaceous scent is described by various commenters as a match for the smell left behind on your fingers after picking a fresh tomato off the vine, or the experience of walking through a garden.
—Joseph Erbentraut, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Apr. 2026
Law enforcement also arrested Reid's mother, Michelle Reid, who is accused of picking him up from the game after the shooting.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
Kylian Mbappe’s knee might be bothering him, but head coach Didier Deschamps picking him as captain in 2023 was more than a concession to the best player in his camp.
—Phil Hay, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2026
Even if the Broncos trust Dobbins to become durable, picking his successor is logical.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 29 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for picking
Noun
-
The curatorial choices are less about building an experience around some grand concept or documenting an important moment in art history, and more about showing off what is in the storeroom, or in this case, the closets.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Ground your choices in self-respect.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Imagine harvesting fresh greens in January and bringing your pepper plants back to life each spring with a head start on the season.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
-
On both the Moon and Mars, astronauts could potentially obtain water by harvesting frozen ice reserves found in polar regions or buried beneath the surface.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Duchess opted for another look from the designer on day three of her and Prince Harry's visit to Colombia, this time selecting an easy-breezy matching top and skirt.—
Katherine J Igoe,
InStyle,
3 Apr. 2026
-
This is why selecting the appropriate size and style of area rug for your room is crucial.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Those forces may give the president more leverage in his negotiations, but also risk fueling Tehran's resentment and provoking a harsher response, analysts say.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Women and girls are asked to imagine themselves as a river, provoking powerful reflection on the culture of gender in post-Soviet Asia.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In October 2025, a TikTok user posted a video of a gray squirrel nibbling on the mouth end of a vape device in Philadelphia.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Their livestock wander about us, enormous antlers swinging, hooves clicking — the sound helps them to find each other in a blizzard — and occasionally nibbling lichen from Aatsinki’s outstretched hand.—
Liam Denning,
Bloomberg,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
She is accused of stabbing a pregnant woman outside in the parking lot of the Harris Teeter in Cotswold on March 18.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
In 2013 she was convicted of manslaughter in the stabbing death of her boyfriend.—
Tracy Grant,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Here’s a look at each election office and how to get in touch with them.—
Rashad Alexander,
Kansas City Star,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Two polls published last week showed Hungary’s center-right Tisza party widening its lead over Orban’s ruling Fidesz party ahead of the April 12 parliamentary election, although a large share of voters remained undecided.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sleep divorce simply means couples choosing to sleep in separate beds or bedrooms.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
-
These funky new qLDPC codes come in many forms, and choosing which one to use typically involves a tradeoff.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Picking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/picking. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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