EN

Synonyms for select

30 synonyms
8 antonyms
2 meanings

verb
adjective

Most common

choose pick pick out take

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

1. Choose — to choose one or more elements of a set, especially a set of options

choose, pick, pick out, take, elect, decide, prefer, opt, single out, like, single, extract, cull, cast, excerpt, sort dated

Other

go with, segregate

Adjective

1. Choice

choice, prime, fine, superior, rare, prize US, prise UK, excellent, exquisite

Other

chosen, picked, blue-ribbon

Antonyms

deselect, reject, refuse

All antonyms of select →

Definitions

v. 1
To choose one or more elements of a set, especially a set of options.
He looked over the menu, and selected the roast beef.
adj. 1
Privileged, specially selected.
Only a select few were allowed into the premiere.

Related words

Word family: selection selective

Forms

Past participle: selected
e.g. selected → choosed, picked, taken, elected…

Choose the right word

Select, Allot, Set Apart or Assign?

Allot may also refer to space; as, to allot a plot of ground for a cemetery; but we now oftener use select, set apart, or assign.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

pick Could you send someone up to pick up some laundry?
choose It won't make any difference whichever you choose.
elect They elect their representatives in a voting booth.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
select		rising
pick		rising
choose		rising
elect		falling

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters: opt¹
4 letters: like¹, take¹, fine¹, pick¹, sort¹, cast¹, rare¹, cull¹
5 letters: prime¹, prize¹, elect², prise
6 letters: single², choice¹, choose¹, decide², picked¹, prefer², chosen²
7 letters: extract², excerpt²
8 letters: superior⁴
9 letters: excellent³, exquisite³, segregate³

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (elect² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: sélectionner
Español: seleccionar