selective
adjective
se·lec·tive
sə-ˈlek-tiv 
2
: highly specific in activity or effect
selective pesticides
selective absorption
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
Bottom line As shoppers get more selective, investors in retail need to do the same.
—
Paulina Likos, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2024
Brands get Strategic With Product Selection for Promotions Rather than blanket discounts, brands are becoming more selective about their promotional strategy.
—Kiri Masters, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
The methods used in the report fail to take account of basic journalistic principles and practice, and often rely on selective interpretations and incomplete evidence.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2024
Yes, but: The mayor and CTU have always been open about more support for neighborhood schools, but Johnson said in May closing selective enrollment schools is not on the table.
—Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for selective 
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Paulina Likos, CNBC, 2 Nov. 2024
Brands get Strategic With Product Selection for Promotions Rather than blanket discounts, brands are becoming more selective about their promotional strategy.
—Kiri Masters, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
The methods used in the report fail to take account of basic journalistic principles and practice, and often rely on selective interpretations and incomplete evidence.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Oct. 2024
Yes, but: The mayor and CTU have always been open about more support for neighborhood schools, but Johnson said in May closing selective enrollment schools is not on the table.
—Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for selective
Dictionary Entries Near selective
Cite this Entry
“Selective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/selective. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.
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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