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
After years of debate between fire officials arguing for the removal of anything that can burn within the first five feet of homes and ecologists backing selective landscaping, California proposed a compromise, reports my colleague Noah Haggerty.
—
Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Consumer goods companies are sharpening their focus and strategically reassessing their portfolios as former growth drivers cool, and consumers are increasingly selective amid rising living costs.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Sales companies are more selective, and even films coming out of major festivals are not guaranteed a pickup.
—Lise Pedersen, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026
As the labor market becomes more selective, the burden increasingly shifts to candidates to stand out earlier and more strategically.
—Alyssa Ferro-Lloret, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for selective
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Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Consumer goods companies are sharpening their focus and strategically reassessing their portfolios as former growth drivers cool, and consumers are increasingly selective amid rising living costs.
—Elsa Ohlen, CNBC, 23 Apr. 2026
Sales companies are more selective, and even films coming out of major festivals are not guaranteed a pickup.
—Lise Pedersen, Variety, 22 Apr. 2026
As the labor market becomes more selective, the burden increasingly shifts to candidates to stand out earlier and more strategically.
—Alyssa Ferro-Lloret, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 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 27 Apr. 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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