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
Non-Stimulant Medications Non-stimulants are typically antidepressants such as selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
—
Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024
By visiting a grassland patch weeks after being grazed by larger herbivores, the smaller herbivores, which require more protein per unit body weight, can be selective and obtain better nutrition per bite.
—T. Michael Anderson, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2024
McLaren is reportedly a bit less selective than, say, Ferrari, in who gets to buy its cars, but those with the money and interest tend to be a self-selecting group anyway.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2024
His research has been wide-ranging, covering topics such as early admissions at selective colleges, subprime lending and the impact of financial incentives on health and health care delivery.
—Stephanie Saul, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Will Smith’s previous film, the slavery drama Emancipation, had a selective release in theaters and then streamed on Apple TV+ in Dec. 2022; Bad Boys: Ride or Die will open exclusively in theaters on June 7.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 Mar. 2024
Going to a state school with in-state tuition makes more sense than an expensive, selective private school, since many graduates in that line of work come out making $40,000 annually either way.
—Ira Porter, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Mar. 2024
But Washington’s concerns for human rights are rather selective.
—Bernie Sanders, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2024
That means investors will need to be more selective in order to find the right opportunity.
—Will Daniel, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024
By visiting a grassland patch weeks after being grazed by larger herbivores, the smaller herbivores, which require more protein per unit body weight, can be selective and obtain better nutrition per bite.
—T. Michael Anderson, Discover Magazine, 6 Apr. 2024
McLaren is reportedly a bit less selective than, say, Ferrari, in who gets to buy its cars, but those with the money and interest tend to be a self-selecting group anyway.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2024
His research has been wide-ranging, covering topics such as early admissions at selective colleges, subprime lending and the impact of financial incentives on health and health care delivery.
—Stephanie Saul, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Will Smith’s previous film, the slavery drama Emancipation, had a selective release in theaters and then streamed on Apple TV+ in Dec. 2022; Bad Boys: Ride or Die will open exclusively in theaters on June 7.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 26 Mar. 2024
Going to a state school with in-state tuition makes more sense than an expensive, selective private school, since many graduates in that line of work come out making $40,000 annually either way.
—Ira Porter, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Mar. 2024
But Washington’s concerns for human rights are rather selective.
—Bernie Sanders, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2024
That means investors will need to be more selective in order to find the right opportunity.
—Will Daniel, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'selective.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing selective
Dictionary Entries Near selective
Cite this Entry
“Selective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selective. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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Kids 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
More from Merriam-Webster on selective
Nglish: Translation of selective for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of selective for Arabic Speakers
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