pick off
shoot people or things one at a time, often from far away
What does "pick sb/sth off" mean?
Examples
- The sniper picked off the enemy soldiers one by one from his hiding place on the ridge.
- She picked her rivals off methodically throughout the campaign until she was the last candidate standing.
- Three of our key players have been picked off by injuries this season.
How to use it
The most straightforward pattern, used when the object is a full noun phrase placed after the particle.
The guerrillas were able to pick off the guards one by one before moving in.
When the object is a pronoun, it must go between 'pick' and 'off' — this is the most common separated form.
The sniper had been picking them off from a ridge above the valley.
Short noun phrases also sit naturally between the verb and particle, especially when they refer to specific known targets.
The cyclist picked the stragglers off one by one in the final kilometres of the race.
The passive works well when the focus is on the victims rather than whoever is doing the eliminating, and is especially common in narrative and journalistic writing.
The remaining competitors were picked off one by one until only the champion was left standing.
Adverbials like 'one by one' or 'from a distance' frequently accompany this phrasal verb and reinforce its methodical, sequential nature.
The opposition gradually picked off their rivals one by one as the election campaign wore on.
Common Collocations
Common Mistakes
'Pick off' implies a gradual, sequential process — targeting things one at a time. Using it to describe eliminating a group all at once sounds unnatural; in that case, 'take out' or 'wipe out' would be more appropriate.
'Pick out' means to identify or select someone from a group, not to eliminate them. Using 'pick out' when you mean methodical elimination changes the meaning entirely.
When the object is a pronoun, it must come between 'pick' and 'off' — placing the pronoun after the particle is not standard in English.
Usage
This phrasal verb is neutral in register and works in both literal (military, hunting) and figurative (sport, business, politics) contexts. It is common in storytelling, news, and commentary across both British and American English.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can 'pick off' be used in non-military contexts?
Yes — while the core meaning is rooted in shooting targets at a distance, 'pick off' is widely used figuratively in sport, politics, and business. A cyclist can pick off rivals in a race, or a politician might pick off opponents during a leadership contest. The key is that the elimination always happens in a gradual, one-by-one fashion.
Does 'pick off' always need 'one by one'?
No, 'one by one' is not required, but it's a very natural and common companion because it reinforces exactly what 'pick off' already implies. You can leave it out and the sequential meaning is still understood from the phrasal verb itself.
Can I use 'pick off' in the passive?
Yes, the passive is natural and often preferred when you want to draw attention to the people being eliminated rather than whoever is doing the targeting. It's especially common in journalistic and narrative writing: 'The key figures were picked off one by one.'
Is 'pick off' used in both British and American English?
Yes, it's used across both varieties without any notable regional restriction. You'll encounter it in British sports commentary, American military reporting, and international news equally.
Can 'pick off' describe targeting things as well as people?
Yes — while people and opponents are the most common objects, 'pick off' can describe eliminating any discrete targets in sequence. For example, a team might pick off their rivals' lead one goal at a time, or a troubleshooter might pick off the problems on a list one by one.
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