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Synonyms

hand-pick

British  

verb

  1. (tr) to choose or select with great care, as for a special job or purpose

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Now Bovino is expected to hand-pick some of the replacements at ICE field offices, according to Fox News.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 29, 2025

She told police: "I wanted her on the unit, I really did. When students come through the system you are almost able to hand-pick the creme de la creme and she was one of those."

From BBC • Oct. 17, 2024

Outgoing presidents and governors were allowed to hand-pick their successors, but had to retire from politics entirely after their term ended.

From Washington Times • Nov. 10, 2023

Pena's political career took off when protests in 2016 forced then-President Cartes to abandon plans to seek an extra term by amending the constitution and to hand-pick Pena as his intended successor.

From Reuters • May 1, 2023

I hand-pick my apples; sort into two classes.

From The Apple by Various

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.