1 B2 idiomatic neutral
To make slow but steady progress on a task or problem.
"She picked away at the mountain of paperwork until it was all done."
inseparable
pick away at
B2 neutral inseparable transitive
To work at something slowly and persistently, gradually reducing or making progress, or to find fault in something continually.
In plain English
To slowly work on something a little bit at a time, or to keep finding small problems with something.
What does "pick away at" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To gradually reduce or erode something, such as a lead, confidence, or a structure.
"The visiting team picked away at the home side's ten-point lead throughout the second half."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To keep picking at something, piece by piece.
Actually means
To slowly work on something a little bit at a time, or to keep finding small problems with something.
Usage tip
Often used to describe persistent, patient effort over time. Can be used positively (steadily making progress) or negatively (persistent criticism or erosion of something). Common in both spoken and written informal English. Often used with abstract nouns like 'confidence', 'problem', 'lead', or 'task'.
Words that pair with "pick away at"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
problem lead confidence task argument work
How to conjugate "pick away at"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
pick away at
I/you/we/they
3rd person
picks away at
he/she/it
Past simple
picked away at
yesterday
Past participle
picked away at
have + pp
-ing form
picking away at
continuous
Hear "pick away at" in the wild
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Other ways to say "pick away at"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
chip away at erode gradually reduce nibble away at whittle away at work away at
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