pick apart
phrasal 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
One of Combs’ attorneys, Nicole Westmoreland, picked apart the ways in which Bongolan’s story changed throughout various meetings with federal prosecutors, which occurred as recently as Monday.
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Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 4 June 2025
The shove and Macron’s uncomfortable facial expressions continue to be picked apart in the international press, but the Macrons have appeared arm-in-arm for multiple events following the moment.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 27 May 2025
The disputes and chaos that followed the United States’ sudden imposition of blanket tariffs in April have threatened to pick apart the tightly woven fabric of global production.
—Diane Coyle, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2025
While commenters praised the images as beautiful, even more seemed eager to pick apart this candid view into motherhood.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pick apart
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Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 4 June 2025
The shove and Macron’s uncomfortable facial expressions continue to be picked apart in the international press, but the Macrons have appeared arm-in-arm for multiple events following the moment.
—Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 27 May 2025
The disputes and chaos that followed the United States’ sudden imposition of blanket tariffs in April have threatened to pick apart the tightly woven fabric of global production.
—Diane Coyle, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2025
While commenters praised the images as beautiful, even more seemed eager to pick apart this candid view into motherhood.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 5 May 2025
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 9 Jun. 2025.
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