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Definitions

trial and error

NOUN
experimental approach
Synonyms
WEAK
R and D analysis cut and try examination experiment hit and miss hit or miss probe research research and development study tentation test

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"At the moment, the development of new medicines is largely a question of trial and error."

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

Figuring out who and how you love takes trial and error, two things Andie and Blane both endure while trying to fit into each other’s respective worlds.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

Instead of directly modeling their behavior, researchers use trial and error to come up with plausible values for key parameters—the rate at which clouds over the ocean turn to rain, say.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

Nearly one-third of patients do not improve after trying their first antidepressant, often leading to months of trial and error.

From Science Daily • Jan. 4, 2026

Early farmers would have discovered by trial and error that they could obtain higher yields by tilling and watering the soil and then sowing seeds.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond