Phrasal verb
pick on
Meanings
to bully, tease, or treat someone unfairly, often repeatedly
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to criticize or focus on small faults or details too much
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Definition
To pick on someone means to repeatedly tease, criticize, or treat them unfairly.
When someone picks on another person, they target them with unkind teasing, criticism, or unfair treatment. It often happens repeatedly and can involve bullying. You can also pick on a small detail by criticizing it too much. The meaning usually depends on whether the object is a person or a thing.
Examples
- Stop picking on your little brother and leave him alone.
- The older kids picked on me on the bus, so I sat near the driver.
- He kept picking on his coworker during the meeting, and everyone got quiet.
- My coach doesn’t pick on us, but she does pick on small mistakes in our footwork.
- They always pick on their friend’s accent, and it makes him uncomfortable.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use "pick" alone for bullying, but you need "pick on" (e.g., "They picked on him," not "They picked him").
More phrasal verbs
- go on To go on means to continue or keep happening.
- carry out To carry out something means to do it or complete it, especially a plan, task, or instruction.
- set up To set up means to arrange or prepare something so it is ready to use or happen.
- pick up “Pick up” most commonly means to collect someone or something from a place, usually by going there.
- go back To go back means to return to a place, time, or earlier situation.