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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of selective
Her hunt for vengeance is not always selective, but it is aimed, always, at Armacham.
—
Will Borger, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
Admission is selective, with an application process modeled on competitive college programs.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Today, about 1 in 140 children ages 3 to 8 have selective mutism, according to the Child Mind Institute.
—Erin Silvia, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
At the heart of these sensors is the ion-to-electron transducer, positioned between the ion-selective membrane and the electronic conductor.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for selective
Will Borger, Rolling Stone, 31 Oct. 2025
Admission is selective, with an application process modeled on competitive college programs.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 30 Oct. 2025
Today, about 1 in 140 children ages 3 to 8 have selective mutism, according to the Child Mind Institute.
—Erin Silvia, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
At the heart of these sensors is the ion-to-electron transducer, positioned between the ion-selective membrane and the electronic conductor.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for selective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selective
Adjective
-
Of course, the path to a particular friendship is never easy.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Berens brings his particular brand of Midwest nice to his latest hour (watch the trailer above), full of stories about growing up one of 12 children, sneaking a beer into church, gambling with his grandmother, and Midwest Cheap Hacks.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
LinkedIn's algorithm is choosy.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Known for being among the choosiest of the choosy buildings and the longtime home of Henry Kissinger, whose sprawling duplex, full of green upholstery and black candles — very Sister Parish — has yet to come on the market since his death.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
To keep everyone content, dining choices should have something on the menu for serious foodies and the pickiest of kids.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
-
Phillips said that’s why the strategy requires that investors be particularly picky about the properties.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Ten-inch-tall elves, called Scout Elves, arrive in children's homes ahead of Christmas with a mission to relay children's behavior back to Santa Claus for his naughty and nice list.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
-
To those earning $50,000 a year at their regular jobs, making $5,000 in a few nights of netting was a nice bonus.—
Steve Waters,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Selective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selective. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share