Selective example sentences

"Selective" Example Sentences

She's always been selective about who she lets into her inner circle.
The hiring manager was selective, interviewing only candidates with specific experience.
He claimed to be selective about his diet, but honestly he just avoided vegetables.
My grandmother is selective about which grandkids get her famous recipe — it's a whole thing.
They were selective in their criticism, praising the good parts while pointing out flaws.
Being selective with your time is the only way to actually get anything done.
The college is selective, accepting less than ten percent of applicants each year.
I'm selective about which battles I fight with my teenager — some just aren't worth it.
The algorithm uses selective filtering to show you content you're most likely to engage with.
She's selective about her friends, which is why she has like three close ones.
Selective breeding has created dog breeds that can barely breathe — it's kind of horrifying.
He was selective in what he told his therapist, leaving out the worst parts.
The restaurant is selective about sourcing ingredients from local farms only.
You can't be selective about taking medication — you have to take all of it.
They were selective about which memories to share in the documentary.
My partner is selective about temperature — the shower has to be exactly right.
The selective nature of his memory meant he only remembered the good dates.
Being selective doesn't make you picky; it makes you intentional.
The school's selective admissions process has been controversial for years.
She's selective about which invitations she accepts, and people have noticed.
Selective attention is why you don't hear everything someone says in a crowded room.
He became selective about his friendships after the betrayal.
The selective editing of the footage completely changed the story.
I'm selective about which Netflix shows I actually finish — most are garbage.
The selective enforcement of rules at work has created a lot of resentment.
Being selective about your information sources is more important now than ever.
She's selective about compliments, so when she praises you, it actually means something.
The selective use of statistics made the argument seem stronger than it was.
They were selective about which traditions to keep when they moved countries.
His selective hearing conveniently kicks in whenever I ask him to do chores.

Common Phrases

selective about
selective breeding
selective attention
selective memory
selective editing
selective enforcement
selective service
be selective
highly selective
more selective
selective process
selective criteria

Examples by Level

She is selective about her food — she only eats chicken and rice.
The selective students got into the best university.

He's selective about which movies he watches because he doesn't like sad endings.
The selective process for the team meant only the best players made it.

Being selective with your money is important if you want to save anything by the end of the month.
The selective nature of social media means you only see what algorithms think you'll like.

Her selective criticism was actually more effective than blanket praise would have been.
The selective enforcement of parking rules in this neighborhood has become almost comical.

What we call being selective is often just a more palatable way of describing our prejudices.
The selective memory of nations allows them to celebrate their victories while conveniently forgetting their atrocities.

There's an irony in being selective about authenticity in a world where everything is curated — we're all performing, just with varying degrees of awareness.
The selective amnesia of institutions, particularly regarding their own complicity in systemic harm, remains one of the more insidious obstacles to genuine reform.

Examples by Scenario

🏠 Everyday Life

My dog is selective about which treats he'll eat — he sniffs them and walks away half the time.
I've become selective about which friends I actually make plans with because most flake anyway.

💼 Workplace

The manager is selective about who gets the good projects, and it's pretty obvious she has favorites.
Being selective about which emails you respond to immediately is how you survive corporate life.

📊 Business

Our selective targeting strategy focuses on high-value customers rather than trying to reach everyone.
The company's selective hiring practices have resulted in a team with exceptional retention rates.

🛒 Buying / Shopping

I'm selective about which coffee brands I buy — the cheap stuff tastes like burnt paper.
She's selective about fabric quality, which is why her clothes actually last more than one season.

✈️ Travel

We were selective about which tours to book, avoiding the ones that felt too touristy.
Being selective about accommodations meant we paid more but actually enjoyed our trip.

📚 Education

The selective enrollment program at the school requires a test and an interview.
Teachers have to be selective about which student questions they answer in detail or class never ends.

❤️ Relationships

After the divorce, she became selective about who she let close to her again.
He was selective about what he shared with his new partner, still protecting parts of himself.

📰 News / Politics

The selective coverage of the scandal made it seem less serious than it actually was.
Politicians are selective about which statistics they cite depending on what argument they're making.

💻 Technology

The selective notification settings on my phone have actually improved my mental health.
The algorithm uses selective data to predict what you'll want to buy next.

📝 Formal Writing

The selective inclusion of certain studies in the literature review may have skewed the conclusions.
Selective sampling methods were employed to ensure representation across all demographic categories.