self-select
verb
self-se·lect
ˌself-sə-ˈlekt 
self-selected; self-selecting; self-selects
1
transitive
: to select (something) by or for oneself
People tend to self-select the environments that fit their needs.—
Cynthia M. Allen
Cynthia M. Allen2
intransitive
: to select oneself as opposed to being selected
especially
: to opt in or out of something (such as a group, activity, or category) in accordance with one's personality, interests, etc.
As always, remember that our Twitter polls are unscientific, because respondents self-select … —Eric C. Evarts
Eric C. Evarts We self-select into partisan echo chambers, staying far away from dissenting voices on social media and cable news. —Brian Klaas
Brian Klaas … a compensation structure that rewards profitable growth and encourages low performers to self-select out of the organization. —Patrick Burke
Patrick Burke 3
intransitive
: to attract or involve individuals who tend to have a particular characteristic
… analysis of social-media responses self-selects for people who actually want to share their thoughts.—Adrian Lee
Adrian Lee
self-selected
adjective
a self-selected name
an unrepresentative, self-selected sampling
self-selection
noun
plural self-selections
student self-selection of reading materials
self-selection of survey respondents
The method helped researchers rule out self-selection bias, or the possibility that people who seek out dental care are different—perhaps healthier in general—than those who don't.
—Sarah Yang
Sarah Yang
Examples of self-select in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Job seekers who self-select into ways of working and communication norms that fit with their personal preferences and aspirations are more likely to stay and flourish to be your company’s future leaders.
Follow me on LinkedIn.
—Phil Kirschner, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Still, Habib emphasizes that his guest lists aren’t policed, per se, but rather assembled from a self-selecting group.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 15 Feb. 2025
Such a film would offering a sobering — if largely analytical — reminder of what its self-selecting audience already suspected about these laws.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2025
The order also sets out to prevent transgender and gender non-conforming Americans from self-selecting their gender on official government documents like visas and passports, an option first made available by the State Department in 2021.
—Brooke Migdon, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025
Co-working spaces, billed as community hubs, combine the trappings of a self-selecting office with the cheery imperative to network.
—Adam Chandler, TIME, 2 Jan. 2025
That puts it into the category of self-selecting audience, so likely isn’t representative of the U.S. as a whole.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
The medium admits self-portraiture with obvious ease (just step in front of the camera), but few filmmakers can withstand its penetrating gaze, which is surely why the practice self-selects toward the masters of the art.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2024
The big picture: Like most partisan media, the pro-Trump echo chamber self-selects news, polls and predictions that point to a decisive victory for the former president on Nov. 5.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 29 Oct. 2024
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Phil Kirschner, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025
Still, Habib emphasizes that his guest lists aren’t policed, per se, but rather assembled from a self-selecting group.
—Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 15 Feb. 2025
Such a film would offering a sobering — if largely analytical — reminder of what its self-selecting audience already suspected about these laws.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2025
The order also sets out to prevent transgender and gender non-conforming Americans from self-selecting their gender on official government documents like visas and passports, an option first made available by the State Department in 2021.
—Brooke Migdon, The Hill, 21 Jan. 2025
Co-working spaces, billed as community hubs, combine the trappings of a self-selecting office with the cheery imperative to network.
—Adam Chandler, TIME, 2 Jan. 2025
That puts it into the category of self-selecting audience, so likely isn’t representative of the U.S. as a whole.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes, 22 Dec. 2024
The medium admits self-portraiture with obvious ease (just step in front of the camera), but few filmmakers can withstand its penetrating gaze, which is surely why the practice self-selects toward the masters of the art.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2024
The big picture: Like most partisan media, the pro-Trump echo chamber self-selects news, polls and predictions that point to a decisive victory for the former president on Nov. 5.
—Zachary Basu, Axios, 29 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Self-select.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-select. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
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