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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But not everyone agrees that these traits are necessarily products of natural selection.
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Kermit Pattison, Scientific American, 20 May 2025
Today, these islands are widely viewed as a natural living laboratory by scientists, particularly evolutionary biologists, ever since its finches inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution by means of natural selection.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Coop’s research uses mathematical models and genomic data to explore how natural selection, genetic drift, and environmental forces shape genetic variation in human populations and other species.
—Sacbee.com, 12 May 2025
In evolution by natural selection, each new generation of creature is almost exactly the same as the previous one, but with subtle variations which can turn out to be valuable when the environment shifts.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2025
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Kermit Pattison, Scientific American, 20 May 2025
Today, these islands are widely viewed as a natural living laboratory by scientists, particularly evolutionary biologists, ever since its finches inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution by means of natural selection.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 12 Apr. 2025
Coop’s research uses mathematical models and genomic data to explore how natural selection, genetic drift, and environmental forces shape genetic variation in human populations and other species.
—Sacbee.com, 12 May 2025
In evolution by natural selection, each new generation of creature is almost exactly the same as the previous one, but with subtle variations which can turn out to be valuable when the environment shifts.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 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 3 Jun. 2025.
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