cherry-pick
B2-C1Informal, journalistic, business, academic critique
Definition
Meaning
To selectively choose only the best or most advantageous items from a group.
To choose only evidence, data, or examples that support one's argument while ignoring contradictory information.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Originally from fruit-picking metaphor; now predominantly used figuratively with negative connotations of bias.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slight spelling variation: UK sometimes hyphenates (cherry-pick) while US often uses 'cherry pick' as verb phrase.
Connotations
Both carry negative implications of unfair selection; slightly more common in UK business/media discourse.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties; no significant regional preference.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
transitive: cherry-pick + objecttransitive: cherry-pick + object + from + sourceVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “pick the low-hanging fruit”
- “cream of the crop”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Selecting only the most profitable clients or projects.
Academic
Critiquing research that uses only supportive data.
Everyday
Choosing only the best items from a buffet.
Technical
Selective data mining in statistics.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The report cherry-picks data to support its conclusion.
- They tend to cherry-pick the most favourable reviews.
American English
- Politicians often cherry pick statistics that help their argument.
- Don't just cherry pick examples that prove your point.
adverb
British English
- The data was presented cherry-pickedly to mislead.
- He quoted cherry-pickedly from the document.
American English
- They chose examples cherry pickingly to make their case.
- The article was written cherry-pickedly.
adjective
British English
- The cherry-picked evidence was criticised in court.
- A cherry-picked selection of quotes misrepresents the interview.
American English
- This cherry picked data doesn't tell the whole story.
- She presented cherry-picked facts to the committee.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She cherry-picks the best apples from the basket.
- Don't cherry-pick only the red sweets.
- The advertisement cherry-picks positive customer comments.
- He cherry-picked his favourite songs for the playlist.
- Journalists accused the minister of cherry-picking economic data.
- The study was flawed because researchers cherry-picked participants.
- Critics argued the meta-analysis cherry-picked studies that confirmed the hypothesis while ignoring contradictory evidence.
- The lawyer's summation selectively cherry-picked testimony that favoured her client.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine picking only red cherries from a tree while leaving green ones—selecting only what looks good.
Conceptual Metaphor
SELECTION IS HARVESTING (with bias)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить буквально как 'собирать вишни'; использовать 'выборочно отбирать' или 'подтасовывать факты'.
- Избегать кальки 'вишнёвый сбор'.
Common Mistakes
- Using as positive term (it's usually negative)
- Confusing with 'pick and choose' (less biased)
- Misspelling as 'cherrypick' without hyphen.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'cherry-pick' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it typically implies unfair, biased, or dishonest selection, though occasionally used neutrally in informal contexts about choosing best items.
It's acceptable in journalistic and business contexts but may be considered too informal for scientific papers; alternatives like 'selectively choose' might be preferred.
From literal cherry harvesting where pickers select only ripe, perfect cherries; first figurative use recorded in 1950s American English.
Yes, 'cherry-picking' (gerund) functions as noun: 'The cherry-picking of data undermines the study's validity.'