Showing results for picking on. Search instead for picking+bone.

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

Without picking on Duckett, who has been successful and is a personable character, he can be used as an example.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 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

She could not bend over and picking on her knees was too hard on her.

From "The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child" by Francisco Jiménez