natural selection
noun
: a natural process that results in the survival and reproductive success of individuals or groups best adjusted to their environment and that leads to the perpetuation of genetic qualities best suited to that particular environment
Examples of natural selection in a Sentence
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Still, the fact that natural selection favored a psychology that drives voluntary deference and powerful leaders suggests that, most of the time, prestige hierarchies are worth the risks.
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Thomas Morgan, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2026
The first is that our love of music, and dance along with it, is just a happy accident of natural selection – tapping into our evolution to evoke delight.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
If a design works, natural selection won’t try to fix what clearly isn’t broken.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
They were invented only about five thousand years ago, and natural selection has not configured the brain to facilitate them.
—David Owen, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for natural selection
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Thomas Morgan, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2026
The first is that our love of music, and dance along with it, is just a happy accident of natural selection – tapping into our evolution to evoke delight.
—Luis Melecio-Zambrano, Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2026
If a design works, natural selection won’t try to fix what clearly isn’t broken.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
They were invented only about five thousand years ago, and natural selection has not configured the brain to facilitate them.
—David Owen, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for natural selection
Cite this Entry
“Natural selection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/natural%20selection. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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