selective
Americanadjective
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having the function or power of selecting; making a selection.
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characterized by selection, especially fastidious selection.
- Synonyms:
- discerning, particular, discriminating
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of or relating to selection.
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Electricity, Radio. having good selectivity.
adjective
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of or characterized by selection
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tending to choose carefully or characterized by careful choice
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electronics occurring at, operating at, or capable of separating out a particular frequency or band of frequencies
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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.
By 1982, Selective Service Director Thomas Turnage reported that more than 500,000 young men had failed to register for the reinstated program.
From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026
"Selective anti-imperialism, the family edition. Anyway, the Irish aren't waiting for Mamdani to comment on a united Ireland, so whatev," she posted on social media.
From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026
Selective straddle purchases can pay off when the underlying subsequently makes a large move post-earnings.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 29, 2026
Selective licences are used by councils to ensure landlords meet set standards.
From BBC • Oct. 30, 2025
When they turned eighteen, men had to register with the Selective Service System, the agency responsible for implementing a draft.
From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge
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.
