natural selection
nounDefinition of natural selection
: 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
Recent Examples on the Web
This might be natural selection working at lightning speed, an example of survival of the fittest frogs. — The Washington Post, NOLA.com, "Some endangered frogs may be leaping back from extinction," 17 May 2018 His studies of artificial selection were a crucial part of his understanding of natural selection. — Simon Barnes, WSJ, "‘Pasta for Nightingales’ Review: Birdwatching Tips From the Renaissance," 13 Apr. 2018 That left Armstead as the most natural selection to play the weak side. — Andy Benoit, SI.com, "In San Francisco, the NFL’s Next Great Defensive Force Emerges," 22 June 2018 Nevertheless, Alma’s study of mosses enables her to arrive independently at a theory of natural selection like that of Darwin. — WSJ, "Randall Fuller," 1 June 2018 She and her colleagues also found evidence for natural selection on a gene called BDKRB2. — Carl Zimmer, New York Times, "Bodies Remodeled for a Life at Sea," 19 Apr. 2018 But not for Liu, who’s spent the last two decades harnessing the Darwinian ruthlessness of natural selection to create totally novel molecules. — Megan Molteni, WIRED, "Inside a Chemist’s Quest to Hack Evolution and Cure Genetic Disease," 12 June 2018 Having so many allows animals to generate variation, the driver of natural selection. — Darren Griffin, Scientific American, "Jurassic World: Can We Really Resurrect a Dinosaur?," 6 June 2018 One can imagine, for places in desperate need of refreshment, a kind of natural selection for indigenous varieties, prized not just for their hardiness but for their restorative powers. — Patrick Comiskey, latimes.com, "Cool white wines from hot climates," 15 May 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'natural selection.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on natural selection
What made you want to look up natural selection? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Musical Words Quiz
-
- Which word describes a musical performance marked by the absence of instrumental accompaniment?
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Share natural selection
Resources for natural selection