selective
adjective
se·lec·tive
sə-ˈlek-tiv 
2
: highly specific in activity or effect
selective pesticides
selective absorption
Synonyms of selective
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
The pitch mixes selective truths with outright deception, targeting young men facing joblessness, inflation, and creeping poverty, as well as young women lured by promises of factory jobs, including in drone production tied to the war effort.
—
Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 25 Feb. 2026
However, a tightening capital pool is forcing executives to be more selective than ever.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2026
This selective application reflects a historical pattern of policies designed to control Latino population growth while promoting fertility among white Americans.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
These can include import licensing requirements, selective regulatory hurdles, national security reviews to block foreign investment, and restrictions on market access for foreign service providers.
—Mohammad N. Elahee, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for selective
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Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 25 Feb. 2026
However, a tightening capital pool is forcing executives to be more selective than ever.
—Anniek Bao, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2026
This selective application reflects a historical pattern of policies designed to control Latino population growth while promoting fertility among white Americans.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026
These can include import licensing requirements, selective regulatory hurdles, national security reviews to block foreign investment, and restrictions on market access for foreign service providers.
—Mohammad N. Elahee, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for selective
Cite this Entry
“Selective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selective. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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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