selective
adjective
se·lec·tive
sə-ˈlek-tiv 
2
: highly specific in activity or effect
selective pesticides
selective absorption
Examples of selective in a Sentence
The club is selective in choosing members.
The college has a highly selective admissions process.
Recent Examples on the Web
Canada, by contrast, has built a system that admits large numbers of immigrants but is selective in doing so.
—
Alexander Kustov, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2025
Shoppers are more selective than ever with their discretionary dollars, and Stitch Fix’s $20 styling fee can feel unnecessary when customers can purchase many of the same items the retailer offers right off the rack and directly from the brand.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2025
His memory is selective, however, and Stolen also features law enforcement officials who fact-check his claims.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
That being said, Ewer suggests being highly selective about which furnishings make the cut in more modest spaces.
—Kelly Dawson, Architectural Digest, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for selective
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Alexander Kustov, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2025
Shoppers are more selective than ever with their discretionary dollars, and Stitch Fix’s $20 styling fee can feel unnecessary when customers can purchase many of the same items the retailer offers right off the rack and directly from the brand.
—Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 11 Aug. 2025
His memory is selective, however, and Stolen also features law enforcement officials who fact-check his claims.
—Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 8 Aug. 2025
That being said, Ewer suggests being highly selective about which furnishings make the cut in more modest spaces.
—Kelly Dawson, Architectural Digest, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for selective
Cite this Entry
“Selective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selective. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
selective
adjective
se·lec·tive
sə-ˈlek-tiv
: of or relating to selection : selecting or tending to select
selective shoppers
Medical Definition
selective
adjective
se·lec·tive
sə-ˈlek-tiv
2
: highly specific in activity or effect
selective pesticides
selective permeability of a plasma membrane
selectively
adverb
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