pick up on
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.
The moderate Santa Ana wind event began to pick up on Friday, creating concerns in the mountains and canyon passes.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 8, 2026
Yet her "ultimate" test is whether the prime minister delivers for Wales – might opposition parties pick up on that potential contradiction later on Tuesday in first minister's questions?
From BBC • Feb. 10, 2026
Cohen: I want to pick up on Henry’s comments about companies’ differentiated success in implementing AI, and Rajiv’s citation of the MIT study indicating that many companies are just spending money without seeing value.
From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026
“And anytime a movie lasts, it’s really a thrill. I mean, that people can still pick up on it, and still enjoy it, that makes you feel great.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 15, 2025
“This is a man who is forty-two years old and very bright, and he’s not doing that. Those are the kinds of cues that children are learning naturally—and he just doesn’t pick up on them.”
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
