Definition of selectivenext
as in particular
tending to select carefully we were highly selective about the music we listened to while trying out loudspeakers

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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 But will the selective island council of just 230 people accept him? Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 11 Feb. 2026 The Swiss investment bank downgraded the sector to neutral from attractive, citing three key reasons, including investors becoming more selective toward tech stocks, a rotation away from the sector, and fears that AI will replace software tools. Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 10 Feb. 2026 Acceptance into the club remains highly selective, resulting in a community of founders, executives, professional athletes, and leaders. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2026 But today’s investors are more selective, demanding stronger evidence that companies are poised to benefit from the AI boom. John Towfighi, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for selective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selective
Adjective
  • So one person who has also been pretty locked into one particular media path, pretty much his whole life is our guest this week on the show.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 14 Feb. 2026
  • This is a particular problem for Task-Ambience air conditioning (TAAC) systems.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 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
  • My mother, a picky eater, cleaned her plate of every course, and even ate oysters and mushrooms for the first time in my life!
    Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Save your pickiest, most problematic tasks for days with strong, above-zero stars.
    Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 15 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

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Cite this Entry

“Selective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selective. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.

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