cherry-pick

American  

[cher-ee-pik] / ˈtʃɛr iˌpɪk /

verb (used with object)

1. to select with great care.

   Out of the scores of zombie movies, this reviewer has cherry-picked some of the best ones for fans.

2. to select (data, examples, etc.) strategically so as to support a particular view or conclusion.

   The company systematically cherry-picked data to ensure their products passed quality control tests.

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verb (used without object)

1. (in retail use) to buy only the sale items and ignore the other merchandise.

cherry-pick British  

verb

1. (tr) to choose or take the best or most profitable of (a number of things), esp for one's own benefit or gain

   cherry-pick the best routes

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Usage

What does cherry-pick mean? To cherry-pick is to choose very carefully. It especially means to select the best of what’s available or being offered. The word sometimes implies that doing so is solely for one’s benefit or gain, or to gain an advantage over others. In the context of research and data, it’s used in a more specific way meaning to selectively choose and present information that supports an existing point of view or hypothesis. This kind of cherry-picking is often unethical. In sports like basketball and soccer (football), cherry-pick means something different: to position oneself away from the main action and most defenders, near the basket or goal, in hopes of being passed the ball and being able to score easily. A person who does this can be called a cherry picker. The term cherry picker can also refer to anyone who cherry-picks in any of the senses of the word. It’s also used in a much more specific way to refer to a kind of crane with a bucket for a person to stand in, especially one mounted on a truck. This kind of cherry picker can be used to lift someone up to heights that can’t be reached by most ladders, such as to trim trees or fix power lines. Cherry-pick is sometimes spelled without a hyphen, as cherry pick. Example: When I was building my computer, I had to cherry-pick the best components from multiple brands to achieve a well-constructed machine.

Etymology

Origin of cherry-pick

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

For example, managers can cherry pick project teams based on individual skillsets, oversee the brief, then hand over to their AI to manage minutiae like deadlines.

From BBC • Jul. 3, 2024

Chiropractors on social media can cherry pick which videos they post, Mr. Breen noted, selecting clips skewed to support the business.

From New York Times • Jun. 19, 2024

It's the first one that I ever heard of: this idea that we're more likely to seek out and cherry pick and remember facts that corroborate our existing beliefs.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2024

But if that deal is reshaped — including the grant of rights agreement that ties ACC powers to the conference through 2036 — would the Big Ten or SEC promptly cherry pick those programs?

From Seattle Times • Jul. 8, 2022

In their arguments and briefs, advocates across the ideological spectrum often cherry pick historical definitions of words most helpful to the outcome they prefer.

From Washington Post • Apr. 7, 2022