Meaning & use
select
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To pick someone or something from several choices after thinking about which is best.
Grammar: Takes an object: select a seat. Often followed by for or from.
Patterns
- select something from something
- select someone for something
- select someone as something
Please select a time that works for you.
The committee selected three finalists from forty applicants.
She was selected for the national team last spring.
verbtransitivecomputing
To click or tap on an item on a screen so that it is chosen or highlighted.
Grammar: Used in computing instructions: select the file, then press delete.
Patterns
- select an option
- select all
Select the text, then choose bold from the menu.
To select all the files, press Ctrl and A.
Select your country from the list.
adjectivebefore a nounformal
Carefully picked as among the best, or limited to a small, privileged group.
Grammar: Comes before a noun and is not normally used with very: a select group.
Patterns
- a select group
Only a select few were invited to the opening.
The club is open to a select group of members.
The shop sells select vintages.
Word forms
| third person singular | selects |
|---|---|
| past tense | selected |
| past participle | selected |
| -ing form | selecting |
Common combinations
- select from
- You can select from five colors.
- carefully select
- Carefully select the right size.
- select a candidate
- The party will select a candidate in June.
- select group
- A select group of artists took part.
- select all
- Press the key to select all.
Synonyms and how they differ
- choose
- Choose is the everyday word, whereas select sounds more formal and often implies comparing options carefully.
- pick
- Pick is casual and can be quick or random, while select suggests more thought.
- opt for
- Opt for focuses on making a decision, usually between two or a few alternatives.
Opposites
Word family
- selection noun
- the act of choosing, or a range of things to choose from
- selective adjective
- choosing carefully
- selector noun
- a person or device that selects
- selectively adverb
- in a careful, limited way
Commonly confused: select or elect?
select vs elect
Elect means to choose someone for office by voting, whereas select can be done by one person without a vote.
Practice
The manager will ___ the best applicant from the list of twenty.
Choose one answer.
Select means choose after consideration, which fits picking one applicant. Reject is the opposite, and elect is used for voting for officials.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “select”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.