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

Recent Examples on the Web
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After several generations, those faster-growing cells produced more offspring and became increasingly common in the population, demonstrating a basic form of natural selection. Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026 Those five generations were enough to show that natural selection could operate on SpudCells. ArsTechnica, 2 July 2026 What Adamala’s team demonstrated was not quite natural selection, the primary mechanism that drives evolutionary change, in which organisms that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive. Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 1 July 2026 Over time, natural selection may strengthen these interactions. Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 20 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for natural selection

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of natural selection was in 1842

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Cite this Entry

“Natural selection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/natural%20selection. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

natural selection

noun
: a natural process in which individuals or groups best adapted to the conditions under which they live survive and produce young and poorly adapted forms are eliminated

Medical Definition

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

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