as in particular
tending to select carefully
we were highly selective about the music we listened to while trying out loudspeakers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of selective
Those universities, which are the state’s most selective, now have out-of-state enrollments above that, with FSU and UF at nearly 15% and 20% respectively for their first-year classes.
—
Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
The resort is split into two areas—Canyons and Mountain Village—and limited snowfall has led to selective closures.
—Alex Schechter, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
So the reluctance to take a prophetic stance in the realm of politics and culture is less a principled unwillingness than a selective one.
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
By routing patients away from insurance to a cash market, the manufacturers preserve their ability to maintain higher prices while appearing magnanimous through selective discounting.
—Ryan N. Hansen, STAT, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for selective
Steven Walker, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
The resort is split into two areas—Canyons and Mountain Village—and limited snowfall has led to selective closures.
—Alex Schechter, Travel + Leisure, 6 Feb. 2026
So the reluctance to take a prophetic stance in the realm of politics and culture is less a principled unwillingness than a selective one.
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 6 Feb. 2026
By routing patients away from insurance to a cash market, the manufacturers preserve their ability to maintain higher prices while appearing magnanimous through selective discounting.
—Ryan N. Hansen, STAT, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for selective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selective
Adjective
-
That ability, once reserved for living nervous systems, could reshape how robots interact with the physical world and with humans in particular.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Trump has clashed in particular Bad Bunny, one of the most popular musicians in the world, who supported former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.—
Seth Jacobson,
The Providence Journal,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Be choosy about compost and soil amendments.—
Dr. Avishesh Neupane,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Being choosy right now builds your overall financial freedom.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Cuyana’s System Zipper Tote is another favorite among picky InStyle shopping editors.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
6 Feb. 2026
-
On top of that headwind, shoppers are getting picky and more demanding of a seamless returns process.—
Peter Sadera,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The potluck is chaotic but really nice.—
R29 Team,
Refinery29,
11 Feb. 2026
-
And if there is a next step, that would be nice.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Selective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selective. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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