pick up the pieces

idiom

: to try to make a situation better after something bad has happened

After her business went bankrupt, she picked up the pieces and started again.

Examples of pick up the pieces in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Told through the families of Shamony Gibson and Amber Rose Issac, two young women who died due to childbirth complications, Aftershock explores some damning statistics in our healthcare system, centers on the families left to pick up the pieces, and demands a call to action. —

Aramide Tinubu, Essence, 18 July 2022 She was left to pick up the pieces of her shattered family. —

Dallas News, 28 Feb. 2022 The four went off into different corners as their managers and record company tried to pick up the pieces. —

David Browne, Rolling Stone, 3 Feb. 2022 Barry Chin/Globe Staff In Saugus, Stephanie Gerardi’s sisters are still trying to pick up the pieces following her death. —

Laura Crimaldi, BostonGlobe.com, 3 June 2023 See all Example Sentences for pick up the pieces

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pick up the pieces.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Cite this Entry

Style

“Pick up the pieces.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pick%20up%20the%20pieces. Accessed 18 Aug. 2024.

Copy Citation