cherry-pick

verb

cher·​ry-pick ˈcher-ē-ˌpik How to pronounce cherry-pick (audio)
cherry-picked; cherry-picking; cherry-picks

intransitive verb

: to select the best or most desirable

transitive verb

: to select as being the best or most desirable
also : to select the best or most desirable from
cherry-picked the art collection

Examples of cherry-pick in a Sentence

cherry-picked the spacious corner office for his corporate fief
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Many Ivy League students have learned to cherry-pick easy-grading professors. Karin Klein, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024 Programming isn’t only about cherry-picking the best film. Zac Ntim, Deadline, 3 Nov. 2024 In a different interview, the Manchester City boss elaborated on that point and used the line the BBC cherry-picked for the headline. Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024 Horowitz remembers the Merwin transaction as a vital moment in his growth, but Merwin and his wife always believed, without any proof, that Horowitz had cherry-picked his library for his own benefit. Tad Friend, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cherry-pick 

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of cherry-pick was in 1965

Dictionary Entries Near cherry-pick

Cite this Entry

“Cherry-pick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cherry-pick. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!