selective

adjective

se·​lec·​tive sə-ˈlek-tiv 

1

: of, relating to, or characterized by selection : selecting or tending to select

2

: highly specific in activity or effect

selective pesticides

selective absorption

selectively adverb

selectiveness noun

selectivity

sə-ˌlek-ˈti-və-tē 

ˌsē-

noun

Synonyms of selective

• particular
• choosy
• picky
• nice

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

At Bank of America, for example, just 2,000 recent graduates were hired from a pool of 200,000 applicants—an acceptance rate of about 1%, far more selective than Ivy League schools. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026

For some selective sleepaway camps, parents are encouraged to have their plans locked in before Thanksgiving. —Madeline Mitchell, USA Today, 14 Jan. 2026

History offers little support for their selective indignation. —Timothy M. Herbst, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2026

Beyond this, our findings contribute towards a better understanding of the selective pressures and evolutionary trajectories that shaped present-day reptile biodiversity. —New Atlas, 13 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing selective

• selective breeding
• selective estrogen receptor modulator
• selective memory
• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
• selective service

Rhymes for selective

• advective
• affective
• collective
• connective
• convective
• corrective
• defective
• detective
• directive
• effective
• elective
• infective

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 

1

: of, relating to, or characterized by selection : selecting or tending to select

2

: highly specific in activity or effect

selective pesticides

selective permeability of a plasma membrane

selectively adverb