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Synonyms

slim pickings

Idioms  

  1. A small amount left after others have taken a share. For example, After each of the children took what they wanted of Mother's things, it was slim pickings for the rest of the family. This expression alludes to animals devouring a carcass. [Early 1600s]

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.

The drink lineup was solid, much better than the slim pickings at my $89 beach day in the Dominican Republic a few days earlier.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

“While it’s slim pickings for labor market data right now, Wednesday’s ADP update at least gave investors some reassurance that the jobs market isn’t falling apart,” writes Bret Kenwell, eToro U.S. investment analyst.

From Barron's • Nov. 5, 2025

But while Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk have reluctantly provided snippets in interviews about contract talks it has been slim pickings from Trent Alexander-Arnold.

From BBC • Dec. 31, 2024

Rough stuff, but it was slim pickings on “Update” this week: Pinkett Smith was the only guest on the news segment.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2023

Probably there are only jellyfish and tiny crabs, but even with those slim pickings we have snorkeled at the tiny beach, always.

From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart

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.