cherry-pick

verb

cher·​ry-pick ˈcher-ē-ˌpik 

cherry-picked; cherry-picking; cherry-picks

intransitive verb

: to select the best or most desirable

transitive verb

: to select as being the best or most desirable

also : to select the best or most desirable from

cherry-picked the art collection

Synonyms

• choose
• cull
• elect
• handpick
• name
• opt (for)
• pick
• prefer
• select
• single (out)
• tag
• take

Examples of cherry-pick in a Sentence

cherry-picked the spacious corner office for his corporate fief

Recent Examples on the Web

The Biden administration pushed back on the findings by Republicans, calling it a partisan effort that sought to cherry-pick facts ahead of an election. —Anne Flaherty, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2024

Performers featured in the on-stage musical sequence were cherry-picked from the University of Colorado’s theater department. —Gordon Cox, Variety, 6 Sep. 2024

Ares’s cherry-picking results in a secure, profitable portfolio. —Brett Owens, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024

The San Sebastian film festival has cherry-picked the best of Cannes’ competition lineup for its Perlak section this year. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense