pick apart

1 of 1verb

/ˈpɪk əˈpɑrt/

Forms:picks apart,picking apart,picked apart,picked apart

to break something down into its individual pieces

After the clock stopped working, he decided to pick it apart to find the issue.
The curious kids decided to pick apart the toy to see what was inside.
During the workshop, they learned how to pick apart a computer to replace faulty components.
To understand the mechanism, the engineer had to pick the device apart.
She decided to pick apart the old sewing machine to clean and oil its inner workings.

to criticize something and mentioning all the flaws or negatives in a detailed and unkind way

She's always quick to pick apart my choices, no matter what I decide.
It's easy to pick apart someone else's work without offering constructive feedback.
Instead of supporting each other, the group members tended to pick apart each other's suggestions.
Instead of appreciating the effort, he chose to pick apart her project for minor errors.
The manager decided to pick apart the proposal during the meeting, questioning each assumption.

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

to masterfully overcome someone or something

with their well-choreographed routine, the dance troupe managed to pick apart the competition.
The racing driver picked apart the circuit's trickiest turns, achieving a record-breaking time.
The pianist picked apart the composition's most challenging sections, delivering a mesmerizing performance.
The reigning champion picked apart every challenger that stepped into the ring.
With a deep understanding of the game, she easily picked apart her opponents on the chessboard.