Meaning
- Pick on means to repeatedly treat someone unfairly, criticize, or bully them.
- It can also mean to single someone out for blame or responsibility.
Grammar and Usage
- Verb phrase (phrasal verb): pick on + object
- Transitive: It requires an object (the person who is picked on).
- Often used in continuous forms: He is always picking on me.
- Common in informal speech.
Patterns:
- pick on + person → to bully or criticize someone unfairly
- pick on + weaker person → to choose someone vulnerable
Common Phrases
- pick on someone smaller/weaker
- always picking on me
- stop picking on your brother
Collocations
- Verbs + pick on: always pick on, constantly pick on, unfairly pick on
- Adverbs + pick on: repeatedly pick on, deliberately pick on
- Nouns + pick on: classmates pick on, bullies pick on
Examples
- The older kids used to pick on him at school.
- Don’t pick on your sister just because she’s younger.
- The teacher seemed to always pick on the same students.
- I feel like my boss is picking on me for every little mistake.
- Stop picking on him—he didn’t do anything wrong.
- She hated being picked on for her accent.
- Why do bullies usually pick on the quietest kids?
- Don’t pick on me just because I’m the new one here.
Synonyms or Related
- bully
- harass
- nag
- tease
- single out
Antonym
- support
- encourage
- protect
- defend