picking on

VERB

nag, provoke

Synonyms

WEAK

badger bait blame bully carp cavil criticize find fault foment get at get to goad hector incite instigate quibble start tease torment

Antonyms

WEAK

compliment praise

VERB

nag

Synonyms

STRONGEST

badger bully get at tease torment

WEAK

bait blame carp cavil criticize find fault foment get to goad hector incite instigate pick at provoke quibble start

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.

“He told them, ‘Why are you guys picking on me?

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 18, 2025

The ETF market can also be mean, picking on specific people.

From Slate • Apr. 22, 2025

It starts with the idea that there are more and less logical ways to tax people, and that the tax system should avoid picking on certain types of activity in arbitrary ways.

From BBC • Oct. 2, 2024

He told the officers they would “regret picking on me because you don’t know who … I am.”

From Seattle Times • Dec. 22, 2023

Zeke remembered the second day of kindergarten when a particularly mean little yak started picking on Daniel.

From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness