plural pickups
1
: one that is picked up: such as
a
: a hitchhiker who is given a ride
b
: a temporary chance acquaintance
c
: a player acquired from another team
2
: the act or process of picking up: such as
a
: a revival of business activity
b
c
: the act or technique of making the acquaintance of a previously unknown person especially for amorous purposes
d
: the act of collecting someone or something to be carried or transported away
Is your order for pickup or delivery?
We'll call your name when your food is ready for pickup.
… please have your party call you for pickup after they have retrieved their luggage.—
Rebecca Turco
Rebecca Turco3
: the conversion of mechanical movements into electrical impulses in the reproduction of sound
also
: a device (as on an electric guitar) for making such conversion
4
a
: the reception of sound or an image into a radio or television transmitting apparatus for conversion into electrical signals
b
: a device (such as a microphone or a television camera) for converting sound or the image of a scene into electrical signals
5
or pickup truck
: a light truck having an enclosed cab and an open body with low sides and tailgate
6
: a pickup game
playing pickup
: utilizing or comprising local or available personnel especially without formal organization
a pickup basketball game
a pickup band
picked up; picking up; picks up
1
2
: to take (passengers or freight) into a vehicle
3
a
: to acquire casually or by chance
picked up a valuable antique at an auction
b
: to acquire by study or experience : learn
picking up a great deal of knowledge in the process—Robert Schleicher
Robert Schleicher
c
: to obtain especially by payment : buy
picked up some groceries
d
: to acquire (a player) especially from another team through a trade or by financial recompense
e
: to accept for the purpose of paying
offered to pick up the tab
f
: to come down with : catch
picked up a cold
4
a
: to enter informally into conversation or companionship with (a previously unknown person)
had a brief affair with a girl he picked up in a bar
b
: to take into custody
the police picked up the fugitive
5
a
: to catch sight of : perceive
picked up the harbor lights
b
: to come to and follow
picked up the outlaw's trail
c
: to bring within range of sight or hearing
pick up distant radio signals
d
: understand, catch
didn't pick up the hint
7
: to resume after a break : continue
pick up the discussion tomorrow
8
: to assume responsibility for guarding (an opponent) in an athletic contest
9
: to provide needed support or assistance to (someone who has faltered or failed, such as a teammate who has made an error) in a collaborative effort
… Burns allowed only five hits and did not issue a walk. She also picked up her teammates after several fielding errors.—John Knebels
John KnebelsWe have faith. We don't panic. Even in all these one-run ballgames, we have trust in each other that we're going to pull it out. We pick each other up. On days we're not pitching it great, our offense gets going and vice versa.—Marco Gonzales
Marco Gonzales1
: to recover or increase speed, vigor, or activity : improve
after the strike, business picked up
the wind began to pick up
2
: to put things in order
was always picking up after her
3
: to pack up one's belongings
couldn't just pick up and leave
Synonyms
Examples of pickup in a Sentence
Noun
The fee pays for garbage pickup.
The school bus was late for its afternoon pickup.
The truck is scheduled to make a pickup today.
Adjective
He plays with pickup bands at nightclubs.
What's the pickup scene like in this city?
Verb
he has a knack for picking up a language in a few weeks
pick up all of your things because we have to be off this beach before dark
Recent Examples on the WebDon Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 9 Apr. 2024
Police released the following details on those in the crash:
The driver of the pickup truck was a 70-year-old man from Prairie Du Sac.
—David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024
In a statement sent to PEOPLE, Georgia State Patrol captain and public information director Michael Burns said a suspect in a Ram 1500 pickup truck struck a Dodge Challenger during the chase in Atlanta.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024
When Ford came out with its F-150 Lightning, the devoted customer placed his reservation and waited eagerly for his $85,000 pickup.
—Detroit Free Press, 5 Apr. 2024
While some offer delivery at a hefty price, there are free pickup options.
—Omar Rodríguez Ortiz, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
That number is nearly double what would have been sustainable without the pickup in immigration.
—Wendy Edelberg and Tara Watson, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
For a homeowner looking to patch cracks just once every 10 years, the price of the equipment is one obstacle: The smallest kettle (10 gallons), mounted on a push cart instead of trailer that needs to be pulled by a pickup truck, could cost $1,000 or more.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Light-duty vehicles just got their own rules Last week, the EPA finalized rules governing tailpipe emissions from light- and medium-duty vehicles — cars, SUVs, vans and most pickup trucks.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 29 Mar. 2024
USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
The pickup truck of a driver allegedly fleeing police ended up in Monterey Bay, along with its four occupants.
—Bay City News, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024
Other former residents traveled in on foot, some on bicycles, some on pickup trucks and some on the back of donkeys.
—Zeena Saifi, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
In 2020, Gregory McMichael and his son Travis McMichael along with their neighbor William Bryan chased after Arbery in pickup trucks through a Georgia subdivision before one of them shot and killed him.
—Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 29 Mar. 2024
The 18-year-old eventually pulled into a private driveway in hopes of escaping the pickup truck driver, who pulled in behind him soon after, police said.
—Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024
The battle for Trump’s stamp of approval has played prominently in the primary fight to represent Ohio’s 9th Congressional District, a Democratic seat that Republicans view as a clear pickup opportunity.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024
Barbara Toth's husband Jim almost died when a teen driver in a pickup truck sent him flying off his bike a few years back.
—USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2024
Editors’ Picks The vehicle’s manufacturer suggested retail price can’t exceed $80,000 for vans, sports utility vehicles and pickup trucks, and $55,000 for all other vehicles.
—Tara Siegel Bernard, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024
Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2024
The ink had barely dried on Enfield’s new deal in Dallas before Cohen was flying to Fayetteville on a private plane to pick up her new coach.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Much like Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr., Highsmith has studied Jimmy Butler to pick up nuances of his game.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
America is divided over major efforts to rewrite child labor laws
Last month, Jaime James of Minnesota picked up a second job as a bartender on top of her day job in health care.
—Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Across Europe, the crackdown on price hikes has picked up in recent times—the U.K.’s competition watchdog has warned supermarkets against profiting from price increases.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 5 Apr. 2024
Trees were planted in the front outdoor area and trash was picked up in the back of the brewery, which sits near a section of Beargrass Creek.
—Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 5 Apr. 2024
The Lakers big man put up 35 points, 18 rebounds, three blocks and two steals as the Lakers held off a fourth-quarter comeback attempt from the Wizards to pick up a third straight victory.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
At certain points, the recordings pick up clacks on the floorboards, tapes winding, studio chatter.
—Leah Lu, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2024
Noun
An officer spotted the pickup truck going the wrong way on a one-way street at 1:25 a.m.
—Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 9 Apr. 2024
Police released the following details on those in the crash:
The driver of the pickup truck was a 70-year-old man from Prairie Du Sac.
—David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024
In a statement sent to PEOPLE, Georgia State Patrol captain and public information director Michael Burns said a suspect in a Ram 1500 pickup truck struck a Dodge Challenger during the chase in Atlanta.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, Peoplemag, 7 Apr. 2024
When Ford came out with its F-150 Lightning, the devoted customer placed his reservation and waited eagerly for his $85,000 pickup.
—Detroit Free Press, 5 Apr. 2024
While some offer delivery at a hefty price, there are free pickup options.
—Omar Rodríguez Ortiz, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
That number is nearly double what would have been sustainable without the pickup in immigration.
—Wendy Edelberg and Tara Watson, TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
For a homeowner looking to patch cracks just once every 10 years, the price of the equipment is one obstacle: The smallest kettle (10 gallons), mounted on a push cart instead of trailer that needs to be pulled by a pickup truck, could cost $1,000 or more.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Light-duty vehicles just got their own rules Last week, the EPA finalized rules governing tailpipe emissions from light- and medium-duty vehicles — cars, SUVs, vans and most pickup trucks.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 29 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Exacerbating the situation are the extremely tight schedules ships’ crews face to unload outgoing cargo and pickup inbound cargo before racing to the next port.
—USA TODAY, 11 Apr. 2024
The pickup truck of a driver allegedly fleeing police ended up in Monterey Bay, along with its four occupants.
—Bay City News, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024
Other former residents traveled in on foot, some on bicycles, some on pickup trucks and some on the back of donkeys.
—Zeena Saifi, CNN, 8 Apr. 2024
In 2020, Gregory McMichael and his son Travis McMichael along with their neighbor William Bryan chased after Arbery in pickup trucks through a Georgia subdivision before one of them shot and killed him.
—Rayna Reid Rayford, Essence, 29 Mar. 2024
The 18-year-old eventually pulled into a private driveway in hopes of escaping the pickup truck driver, who pulled in behind him soon after, police said.
—Tanasia Kenney, Miami Herald, 4 Mar. 2024
The battle for Trump’s stamp of approval has played prominently in the primary fight to represent Ohio’s 9th Congressional District, a Democratic seat that Republicans view as a clear pickup opportunity.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024
Barbara Toth's husband Jim almost died when a teen driver in a pickup truck sent him flying off his bike a few years back.
—USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2024
Editors’ Picks The vehicle’s manufacturer suggested retail price can’t exceed $80,000 for vans, sports utility vehicles and pickup trucks, and $55,000 for all other vehicles.
—Tara Siegel Bernard, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2024
Verb
When readers pick up a Mass book, there are familiar tentpoles studded throughout.
—Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2024
The ink had barely dried on Enfield’s new deal in Dallas before Cohen was flying to Fayetteville on a private plane to pick up her new coach.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Much like Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr., Highsmith has studied Jimmy Butler to pick up nuances of his game.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2024
America is divided over major efforts to rewrite child labor laws
Last month, Jaime James of Minnesota picked up a second job as a bartender on top of her day job in health care.
—Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post, 5 Apr. 2024
Across Europe, the crackdown on price hikes has picked up in recent times—the U.K.’s competition watchdog has warned supermarkets against profiting from price increases.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 5 Apr. 2024
Trees were planted in the front outdoor area and trash was picked up in the back of the brewery, which sits near a section of Beargrass Creek.
—Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 5 Apr. 2024
The Lakers big man put up 35 points, 18 rebounds, three blocks and two steals as the Lakers held off a fourth-quarter comeback attempt from the Wizards to pick up a third straight victory.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
At certain points, the recordings pick up clacks on the floorboards, tapes winding, studio chatter.
—Leah Lu, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pickup.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near pickup
Cite this Entry
“Pickup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pickup. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
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