pick apart
verb
picked apart; picking apart; picks apart
chiefly US
: to say all of the things that are bad or wrong about (someone or something) : to criticize (a person or thing) in a very detailed and usually unkind way
You can expect political analysts to pick apart the governor's speech.
The film's critics picked his performance apart.
Examples of pick apart in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With 66 brands exhibiting at the world’s annual horological tradeshow in Geneva last week, there were a lot of novelties to sift through—and perhaps more covetable new references to try on, think about, and pick apart than ever before.
—
Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2026
Their two-man game picked apart Minnesota in the third quarter, generating clean scoring chances on nearly every possession.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026
The bittersweet reunion was caught on camera shortly after the car was found in the backyard of a Whittier home, picked apart and non-operational, by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigators.
—Michele Gile, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
And perhaps most importantly, the internet wasn’t around for every aspect to be picked apart, and discussions of ever-expanding lore sat in friend groups, cons, or limited forums.
—Matthew Razak, Space.com, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pick apart
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Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 22 Apr. 2026
Their two-man game picked apart Minnesota in the third quarter, generating clean scoring chances on nearly every possession.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2026
The bittersweet reunion was caught on camera shortly after the car was found in the backyard of a Whittier home, picked apart and non-operational, by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department investigators.
—Michele Gile, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
And perhaps most importantly, the internet wasn’t around for every aspect to be picked apart, and discussions of ever-expanding lore sat in friend groups, cons, or limited forums.
—Matthew Razak, Space.com, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pick apart
Cite this Entry
“Pick apart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pick%20apart. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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