English Reference
Adverb

selectively

adv. manner
B2 Upper Intermediate US /səˈɫɛktɪvɫi/ UK /sɪlˈɛktɪvli/ se·lec·tive·ly

adv.choosing only specific things or people from a group instead of taking everything. You do this when you want to be careful about what you pick.

adv.in a manner that involves choosing only particular items or people from a larger group. Often implies the use of specific criteria to exclude unwanted elements.


SIMPLE

The company is hiring selectively this year.

CONTEXTUAL

The editor selectively removed several paragraphs to make the article more concise and readable.

COMPLEX

By selectively breeding plants with the highest yields, early farmers were able to domesticate wild grasses into the high-calorie cereal crops we rely on today.

Usage

Typically follows the verb it modifies or sits at the end of the clause.

Usage selectively use

Droughts can selectively favor drought-tolerant parasites and hosts, changing aquatic food webs in ways that promote disease, the authors write.

Phys.org· 16 Aug 2026

Low diversity is often seen in isolated groups or in animals that have been selectively bred.

ScienceDaily· 5 Jul 2026
This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated