selective
Americanadjective
-
having the function or power of selecting; making a selection.
-
characterized by selection, especially fastidious selection.
- Synonyms:
- discerning, particular, discriminating
-
of or relating to selection.
-
Electricity, Radio. having good selectivity.
adjective
-
of or characterized by selection
-
tending to choose carefully or characterized by careful choice
-
electronics occurring at, operating at, or capable of separating out a particular frequency or band of frequencies
Other Word Forms
- nonselective adjective
- selectively adverb
- selectiveness noun
- unselective adjective
Etymology
Origin of selective
Explanation
If your mother only remembers the good things and not the bad, she has a selective memory. If a school chooses to offer only a few students spots, it is selective. Selective means characterized by choice. When you are looking for someone to date, you will get advice as to how selective to be. Some people will suggest that you cast a wide net, choosing to date a lot of people in hopes that one will be right. Others will recommend that you be more selective, choosing to date only people that fit a set of criteria. If you are a male, you will have to register with Selective Service, a database the military selects from if there is ever a draft, when you turn 18.
Vocabulary lists containing selective
Donald Trump Foreign Policy Address
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Setting and Structure
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"The MGMT Solution," Vocabulary from Chapter 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A vast majority of US states and territories also automatically register men for selective service when driver's licenses are issued.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
“Apathy and confusion abound, and in our view, investors need to stay selective and have some patience,” he said in a note released Saturday.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026
While the sector still faces headwinds, selective stocks are trading at levels suggesting a measured rebound could be underway—making careful stock-picking more important than ever.
From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026
The influencer market has already shifted, with marketers becoming more selective and “Bachelor” stars no longer guaranteed large follower increases.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
But selective inbreeding via marriage, Wells argued, might paradoxically produce weaker and duller generations.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
