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
Celecoxib is a selective COX-2 inhibitor that is commonly prescribed for arthritis and pain.
—
Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
The courts give the executive branch the benefit of the doubt in many cases, including, for example, when prosecutions are accused of being selective or vindictive.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2026
In one of their selective releases of the Epstein files, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee previously published an undated image of Lajcak and Epstein standing side by side.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 1 Feb. 2026
Treated Straw, Hay and Turfgrass Be selective about offers of free products like community mulches or used livestock bedding and manure from area farms.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for selective
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Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 4 Feb. 2026
The courts give the executive branch the benefit of the doubt in many cases, including, for example, when prosecutions are accused of being selective or vindictive.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2026
In one of their selective releases of the Epstein files, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee previously published an undated image of Lajcak and Epstein standing side by side.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 1 Feb. 2026
Treated Straw, Hay and Turfgrass Be selective about offers of free products like community mulches or used livestock bedding and manure from area farms.
—Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 1 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 5 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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