natural selection
noun
: a natural process that results in the survival and reproductive success of individuals or groups best adjusted to their environment and that leads to the perpetuation of genetic qualities best suited to that particular environment
Examples of natural selection in a Sentence
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That basic story traces back at least to Charles Darwin, the English naturalist who developed the theory of natural selection.
—
Lilia Goncharova, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026
Because of this, healthy aging isn’t something natural selection can select for—not enough animals live long enough for healthy aging traits to confer an advantage to their species’ survival.
—Mallory Locklear, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Seedling variation, the stuff that makes natural selection and evolution possible, is anything but predictable.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Feb. 2026
Perhaps, researchers have speculated, genes on the X chromosome don’t transfer well between species, or Neanderthal genetic variants on the X chromosome were disadvantageous in some way to human variants and were therefore gradually eliminated by the evolutionary process of natural selection.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
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Lilia Goncharova, The Conversation, 9 Mar. 2026
Because of this, healthy aging isn’t something natural selection can select for—not enough animals live long enough for healthy aging traits to confer an advantage to their species’ survival.
—Mallory Locklear, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
Seedling variation, the stuff that makes natural selection and evolution possible, is anything but predictable.
—Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 27 Feb. 2026
Perhaps, researchers have speculated, genes on the X chromosome don’t transfer well between species, or Neanderthal genetic variants on the X chromosome were disadvantageous in some way to human variants and were therefore gradually eliminated by the evolutionary process of natural selection.
—Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for natural selection
Cite this Entry
“Natural selection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/natural%20selection. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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