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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Recent Examples of selective
Walmart says that its consumers have become cautious and selective.
—
Anne D'innocenzio, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
His lawyers argued that the case involved selective prosecution and a jurisdictional issue since only Baraka was arrested.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025
By 2024, layoffs grew more selective as leadership leaned into artificial intelligence and long-term profitability.
—Catherine Baab, Quartz, 13 May 2025
First reported by The New York Times, the intelligence memorandum portrays a Venezuela where criminal networks like TdA thrive amid widespread state dysfunction and selective law enforcement.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for selective
Anne D'innocenzio, Chicago Tribune, 15 May 2025
His lawyers argued that the case involved selective prosecution and a jurisdictional issue since only Baraka was arrested.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 May 2025
By 2024, layoffs grew more selective as leadership leaned into artificial intelligence and long-term profitability.
—Catherine Baab, Quartz, 13 May 2025
First reported by The New York Times, the intelligence memorandum portrays a Venezuela where criminal networks like TdA thrive amid widespread state dysfunction and selective law enforcement.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for selective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for selective
Adjective
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This year, in particular, organizers for pride events, including in San Francisco and Houston, are seeing corporate sponsors pull out or give less of financial support.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
28 May 2025
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This person’s crush probably has nothing to do with the grocery employee, but everything to do with a rush of brain chemicals that happened to occur in their particular brain coincidentally at that moment and in that space.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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While tariffs may lead to consumers being more choosy, Link said the overall macroeconomic picture still looks positive, bolstered by lower interest rates, a steady job market and strong consumer savings.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
4 Mar. 2025
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And by that time in her career, Salonga could be choosy.—
Robert Ito,
New York Times,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The Braves are not in a position to be picky about defense.—
Lee Habeeb,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Apr. 2025
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Sometimes gratitude came easily, such as when Deb helped their kids, who were picky eaters, become more adventurous.—
Rhaina Cohen,
The Atlantic,
11 May 2025
Adjective
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From the outside, Lyons’s house is a textbook Baltimore row home with a modest porch made for relaxing on a nice day or having a smoke while you people-watch.—
Lawrence Burney,
Pitchfork,
28 May 2025
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Wilson completed a pass to Dee Eskridge, who made a nice one-handed catch with cornerback Kendall Sheffield in coverage.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
28 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Selective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/selective. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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