Meaning & use
picked up
Last updated
“picked up” is a form of “pick up”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Lifted something or someone from a surface or lower position using your hands.
Grammar: Takes an object: he picked up the phone, or he picked it up.
Patterns
- picked something up
- picked up something
She picked up the keys from the table.
He picked the toddler up and carried her home.
The waiter picked up the empty plates.
verbtransitive
Went to collect a person or thing from somewhere, usually by car.
Grammar: Takes an object: she picked up the kids from school.
Patterns
- picked someone up from somewhere
Dad picked me up from the station at six.
I picked up my parcel at the post office.
The taxi picked them up outside the hotel.
verbtransitiveinformal
Learned or acquired a skill, habit or piece of information without much effort or formal study.
Grammar: Takes an object: she picked up some Spanish.
Patterns
- picked something up from someone
He picked up a few phrases while traveling.
She picked up the guitar quickly.
I think I picked up a cold on the train.
verbintransitive
Became better or increased in speed, activity or strength.
Grammar: No object: sales picked up in spring.
Business picked up after the holidays.
The wind picked up during the afternoon.
His mood picked up when the sun came out.
Word forms
| base form | pick up |
|---|---|
| third person singular | picks up |
| present participle | picking up |
Common combinations
- picked up the phone
- She picked up the phone on the second ring.
- picked up a habit
- He picked up a habit of biting his nails.
- picked up speed
- The train picked up speed outside the city.
- picked up the bill
- My boss picked up the bill for dinner.
- picked up from school
- She picked up her daughter from school.
Synonyms and how they differ
- collected
- Collected is more formal and suits going to get something, but is less natural for lifting.
- lifted
- Lifted focuses only on raising, while picked up can also mean collected or learned.
- learned
- Learned can sound more deliberate; picked up suggests easy, casual learning.
- acquired
- Acquired is formal and suggests obtaining on purpose, unlike the casual picked up.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: picked up or picked on?
picked up vs picked on
Picked on means repeatedly treated someone unfairly, not lifted or collected.
Practice
Which sentence uses picked up to mean collected someone?
Choose one answer.
Going to collect a person is the third option. The others mean caught an illness, strengthened and learned.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “picked up”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.