Select — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb noun /sə-ˈlekt/ se·lect

Meaning & Definition of Select

Select (adjective)

  1. chosen from a number or group by fitness or preference
  2. of special value or excellence, superior, choice
  3. exclusively or fastidiously chosen often with regard to social, economic, or cultural characteristics

Select (verb)

  1. to choose (as by fitness or excellence) from a number or group, pick out
  2. to make a choice

Select (noun)

  1. one that is select —often used in plural

Select (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to decide to accept (someone or something) from a group of possibilities

    "selected only two people out of 300 applicants for the summer internship"

    similar: cherry-pick, choose, cull, elect, handpick, name, opt (for), pick, prefer, single (out), tag, take
    related: preselect, appoint, designate, fix, mark, nominate, set, tab, tap, accept, adopt, embrace, espouse, settle (on or upon)
    opposite: decline, refuse, reject, turn down
    near: disapprove, negative, repudiate, spurn, discard, jettison, throw away, throw out

Select (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. singled out from a number or group as more to one's liking

    "the company claims to use only select beans to make its coffee"

    similar: cherry-picked, choice, chosen, elect, favored, favorite, first-line, handpicked, picked, preferred, selected, of choice
    related: fashionable, exclusive, culled, picked over, screened, weeded (out), winnowed (out)
    near: average, common, commonplace, ordinary, run-of-the-mill

  2. having qualities that appeal to a refined taste

    "select fabrics that the shop makes into expensive suits for its well-heeled clientele"

    similar: choice, dainty, delicate, elegant, exquisite, fine, rare, recherché
    related: bijou, jewellike, better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, special, elite, exclusive, classic, excellent, fabulous, first-class, first-rate, grand, great, marvelous, noble, outstanding, par excellence, premium, prime, sensational, splendid, stellar, sterling, superb, superior, superlative, supernal, terrific, tip-top, top, top-notch, transcendent, unsurpassed, wonderful, ultrarare
    near: coarse, gross, kitsch, kitschy, lowbrow, raffish, rough, rough-hewn, tasteless, uncultivated, uncultured, unpolished, unrefined, vulgar, commercial, mass-produced, popular, common, ordinary, average, lesser, mediocre, run-of-the-mill, run-of-the-mine, second-class, second-rate, deficient, inferior, low-grade, substandard, unacceptable, unsatisfactory, wanting

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Select

The most common words with a similar meaning to Select:

cherry-pick, choose, cull, elect, handpick, name, opt (for), pick, prefer, single (out), tag, take, cherry-picked, choice, chosen, favored, favorite, first-line, handpicked, picked, preferred, selected, dainty, delicate, elegant, exquisite, fine, rare, recherché, of choice

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Select

Words with the opposite meaning of Select:

decline, refuse, reject, turn down

Related Words for Select

preselect, appoint, designate, fix, mark, nominate, set, tab, tap, accept, adopt, embrace, espouse, settle (on or upon), fashionable, exclusive, culled, picked over, screened, weeded (out), winnowed (out), bijou, jewellike, better, exceptional, fancy, high-grade, special, elite, classic

Near Antonyms of Select

disapprove, negative, repudiate, spurn, discard, jettison, throw away, throw out, average, common, commonplace, ordinary, run-of-the-mill, coarse, gross, kitsch, kitschy, lowbrow, raffish, rough, rough-hewn, tasteless, uncultivated, uncultured, unpolished, unrefined, vulgar, commercial, mass-produced, popular

Word Forms of Select

Inflections: selected, selecting, selects

Derived words: selectable (adjective), selectness (noun), selector (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Select

Latin selectus, past participle of seligere to select, from se- apart (from sed, se without) + legere to gather, select suicide, legend

First known use: 1565

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Select

Words & Phrases Containing Select

self-select

Frequently Asked Questions about Select

What does "Select" mean?

"Select" means chosen from a number or group by fitness or preference. As an an adjective, a verb and a noun, it is defined as: chosen from a number or group by fitness or preference. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Select"?

Other words for "Select" include cherry-pick, choose, cull, elect, handpick, name, opt (for) and pick. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Select" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Select"?

There are 88 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Select". Common alternatives include cherry-pick, choose, cull, elect, handpick, name, opt (for), pick, prefer and single (out).

What is the opposite of "Select"?

Antonyms of "Select" include decline, refuse, reject and turn down. Near antonyms include disapprove, negative, repudiate and spurn.

How do you use "Select" in a sentence?

Examples of "Select" in a sentence: "selected only two people out of 300 applicants for the summer internship"; "the company claims to use only select beans to make its coffee"; "select fabrics that the shop makes into expensive suits for its well-heeled clientele".

Is "Select" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Select" can be used as an adjective, a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Select" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Select" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Select"?

"Select" is pronounced /sə-ˈlekt/ and divided into syllables as se·lect.