# pick up the pieces

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/pick-up-the-pieces
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To restore one's life (or a given situation etc.) to a normal state, after a calamity, shock etc.

## Examples

- After the fire, they had to pick up the pieces.
- The company went bankrupt last year, and now the employees are trying to pick up the pieces and find new jobs.
- Following the sudden collapse of their long-term partnership, she spent months trying to pick up the pieces of her professional life while managing the emotional fallout.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.