cherry-pick

verb

ˈcher-ē-ˌpik How to pronounce cherry-pick (audio)
Definition of cherry-picknext
as in to choose
to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities cherry-picked the spacious corner office for his corporate fief

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 cherry-pick This isn’t news, but Trump carefully cherry-picked his way around it. — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026 Huston unfortunately cherry-picks the best of his state without acknowledging the worst. — Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026 That youthful presence feels almost too current, as the movie’s satire focuses disproportionately on genre discourse cherry-picked from just the last few years. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 4 June 2026 This rule created a system that incentivized insurance companies to cherry-pick homes that are on a list of fire-prone areas but are actually safe. — Tim Hay, Mercury News, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for cherry-pick
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cherry-pick
  1. choose
  2. select
  3. pick
Verb
  • Guests often choose the property for its proximity to Hanifaru Bay, famed for its seasonal gatherings of manta rays.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Reher said buyers should look at conditions in their target market before choosing whether to borrow or pay cash.
    — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of choose
Verb
  • The Kansas City Board of Police Commissioners will be tasked with selecting the department’s new leader.
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 2 Oct. 2026
  • At the Hästens Sleep Spa in Coimbra, Portugal, for example, guests select their preferred pillow firmness at check-in—a small detail designed to make the bed feel more personalized.
    — Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of select
Verb
  • The market has picked 12 fiction and documentary features, all in late-stage development, for its Tasveer Market Selects strand.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Also for those with kitchens, there is a Whole Foods and Safeway close by to pick-up groceries.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of pick

Browse Nearby Words

cherishing
cherry-pick
cherry-picked
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cherry-pick.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cherry-pick. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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