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Synonyms

picked

1 American  
[pikt] / pɪkt /

adjective

  1. specially chosen or selected, usually for special skill.

    a crew of picked men.

  2. cleared or cleaned by or as if by picking.

    picked fruit.
picked 2 American  
[pik-id, pikt] / ˈpɪk ɪd, pɪkt /

adjective

Chiefly Dialect.

  1. having or coming to a sharp point; peaked; pointed.

Etymology

Origin of picked1

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; pick 1, -ed 2

Origin of picked2

late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; pick 2, -ed 3

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

China's economic growth likely picked up in the first three months of the year, according to analysts surveyed by AFP, boosted by exports now impacted by the Middle East war, while domestic demand remains weak.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

West Ham, currently 17th, hold the record for the team relegated with the most points in the 20-team era - in 2002-03 when they picked up 42 points but still went down.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

That was among his many responsibilities in a career that spanned 51 years, where he first picked up litter then picked up everyone from celebrities to sports heroes to ex-presidents as the club’s top chauffeur.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

It was Exeter that picked you up first, wasn't it?

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

I went up to the kitchen where Nollie had just brewed a fresh pot of coffee, picked it up, and continued with it upstairs to Tante Jans’s rooms.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.