unpick
Americanverb (used with object)
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unpicks,
present (3rd person singular)
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unpicked,
past participle, past
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unpicking
present participle
verb
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to undo (the stitches) of (a piece of sewing)
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to unravel or undo (a garment, etc)
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obsolete to open (a door, lock, etc) by picking
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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unpicksimple
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unpickssimple
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have unpickedperfect
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has unpickedperfect
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am unpickingprogressive
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are unpickingprogressive
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is unpickingprogressive
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have been unpickingperfect progressive
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has been unpickingperfect progressive
Past
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unpickedsimple
-
had unpickedperfect
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was unpickingprogressive
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were unpickingprogressive
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had been unpickingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of unpick
1350–1400 for earlier sense; 1770–80 for current sense; Middle English unpiken to pick (a lock); see un- 2, pick 1
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.
See Examples For:
“What I really need is a puzzle to unpick, something devilish and twisted.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
That to me is, I think, the most exciting kind of knot to unpick right now.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026
Koh warned that if the ICJ ruled the right to strike was not inherent in the Convention, companies and governments could start to unpick labour deals around the world.
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
It’s tempting to believe we can supersede that, but the fact is, we’re always going to be attempting to unpick the injustices that exist absolutely.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2025
Why make us unpick them, just to put it back together more shonkily?
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
From disallowed goals, a debated penalty, Ronaldo intrigue and VAR controversy, BBC Sport unpicks a remarkable 105 minutes of drama.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
Brown said all of this had been traumatic for Aaron, as the more he unpicks the story with his son the worse it gets.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
How the FA unpicks a game that was overshadowed by flash points off the field is not straight-forward.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 17, 2022
Priya Elan unpicks why this is a welcome sign that masculinity is transforming.
From The Guardian ● Jul. 18, 2020
A 'forensic zone' unpicks evidence for other culprits.
From Nature ● Jul. 18, 2017
Zimbabwean farmworker Aaron Majatamhe was heading home at sunset after a shift in one of South Africa's top fruit-producing regions, where bushes laden with bright unpicked citrus stood in rows.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
Thousands of positions go unfilled, which means apples go unpicked and tomatoes rot in fields.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026
But the Surge’s bylaws are clear that no nit be left unpicked, and so we have to quibble with his framing.
From Slate ● Jan. 17, 2026
So what can be unpicked from Tuchel's first indication of England's future direction?
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2025
Ripe grain went unharvested; unpicked orchard fruits were left in trees to rot as communities fled from the invaders.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Turmoil in bond markets is unpicking the improvements in affordability.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
That has now unravelled with what began as a blog a couple of years ago escalating in recent weeks, with more journalists unpicking aspects of Arday's life story and asking questions.
From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026
The Wolves retook the lead eight minutes later, Jeanuel Belocian unpicking the Leipzig defence with a simple pass for Svanberg to score.
From Barron's ● Feb. 15, 2026
He has been the heartbeat of Wolves' attacking threat, scoring crucial goals, linking up play and unpicking defences with moments of individual brilliance.
From BBC ● May 28, 2025
Theo sat by herself, unpicking a coloured lining from a black grenadine dress, with an expression of tragic despair.
From The Daughters of a Genius by Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey
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.
