Meaning & use

trial

noun·Everyday

A formal examination of evidence in a court of law, or a test used to check the quality or performance of something.

See it in a sentence

The trial lasted three weeks before the jury reached a unanimous verdict.

The new drug is currently undergoing clinical trials to test its safety and effectiveness.

A note on using this word

Trial covers both the legal sense (a court proceeding) and the testing sense (a trial run); context usually makes clear which is meant.

Words with a similar meaning

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