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
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Recent Examples of selective
Special counsel David Weiss defends charges against Hunter Biden
Hunter Biden’s lawyer, Abbe Lowell, previously blasted the special counsel for selective and vindictive prosecution, arguing the gun and tax charges Hunter faced are rarely pursued.
—
Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
Over the past decade and a half, their numbers have gradually risen at selective colleges.
—Aatish Bhatia, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2025
Male and female graduates in technical fields, even from less selective schools, earn higher salaries.
—Joseph Cimpian, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2025
On tariffs, for instance, he’s seen as being more measured, favoring them only on a selective basis, compared to Trump’s blunt, across the board proposal of 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% on goods from China.
—Joe Moglia, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for selective 
Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 14 Jan. 2025
Over the past decade and a half, their numbers have gradually risen at selective colleges.
—Aatish Bhatia, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2025
Male and female graduates in technical fields, even from less selective schools, earn higher salaries.
—Joseph Cimpian, The Conversation, 8 Jan. 2025
On tariffs, for instance, he’s seen as being more measured, favoring them only on a selective basis, compared to Trump’s blunt, across the board proposal of 25% on goods from Mexico and Canada and 10% on goods from China.
—Joe Moglia, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for selective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selective
Adjective
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In particular, options are the instrument of choice to hedge exposure to volatile instruments and execute simple alpha generating strategies like a carry trade.—
Javier Paz,
Forbes,
28 Jan. 2025
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Vogue Italia’s head of editorial content, Francesca Ragazzi, is a particular fan of the snuggly staple, styling her slouchy aviator option with everything from luxe leather skirts to chunky knitwear.—
Laura Jackson,
Vogue,
28 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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As the consumer gets increasingly choosy , Ma said Costco is also a preferable play because of its focus on value.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
22 Oct. 2024
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Despite some recent sales shortfalls, Signet has been effectively navigating a highly price-promotional retail landscape where consumers have become increasingly choosy.—
David Moin,
WWD,
1 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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In addition to multiple indoor play areas, water slides, lazy rivers, and soaking tubs, most Great Wolf resorts also have an outdoor pool area and loads of dining options to satisfy even picky eaters.—
Jean Chen Smith,
USA TODAY,
18 Jan. 2025
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Having a family of nine means sometimes preparing meals in large quantities is necessary, and being a picky eater isn’t really an option.—
Katie Mannion,
People.com,
12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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There are nice details throughout like a walk-in closet in the primary and built-in custom bookshelves in the living room.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
28 Jan. 2025
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The tip is $21,000, which is nice but not amazing, especially given all the dietary restrictions.—
Emma Soren,
Vulture,
28 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near selective
Cite this Entry
“Selective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selective. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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