trial
noun
adjective
Idioms for trial
- undergoing examination before a judicial tribunal.
- undergoing a probationary or trial period.
SYNONYMS FOR trial
synonym study for trial
OTHER WORDS FROM trial
WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH trial
trail trialWords nearby trial
Definition for trial (2 of 2)
noun
VOCAB BUILDER
What does trial mean?
In general, a trial is a test or an experiment.
Most commonly, the word refers to a criminal trial in a courtroom before a judge and jury. It is also often used in a scientific context to refer to things like clinical trials and drug trials. It can also refer to a hardship. It is commonly used in phrases like trial and error and trial by fire. It is most commonly used as a noun but it can also be used as an adjective and a verb.
Example: There are 500 people participating in our research trial for a new heart medication.
Where does trial come from?
The first records of trial come from the 1500s. It comes from the Anglo-French trier, meaning “to try” (the word try comes from the same term).
In a general sense, a trial of something is a test of it. This sense is seen in the common phrase trial and error, which refers to a process of continually trying or testing something, making mistakes, and trying and testing it again until you get it right. If you decide to test something out for a limited amount of time, you do so with a trial run or during a trial period.
Trial can be used to describe an ordeal or situation that subjects someone to trying times, testing their strength or endurance, as in the expression trials and tribulations. A trial by fire is a test of one’s abilities under pressure.
A trial by jury is also a kind of test, and if you’re the one on trial, you’ll need a trial lawyer. In a scientific context, a clinical trial is an investigation of a new medical treatment to see if it will work in humans. Pharmaceutical trials and drug trials test whether new medicines are safe and effective. Such medicines are said to be in the process of being trialled.
Athletes in certain sports must compete against other athletes in trials in order to qualify for a competition. This sense is seen in phrases like Olympic trial and time trial.
Trial has many other specific meanings but they all deal with testing something, trying something out temporarily, or performing an experiment.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to trial?
- intertrial (adjective)
- mistrial (noun)
- nontrial (noun)
- posttrial (adjective)
- retrial (noun)
What are some synonyms for trial?
What are some words that share a root or word element with trial?
What are some words that often get used in discussing trial?
How is trial used in real life?
The main uses of trial—legal trials, scientific trials, and personal trials—are usually seen in a serious context.
to whoever stole my umbrella during #jpm18: may your next clinical trial fail to be statistically significant
— Stephanie M. Lee (@stephaniemlee) January 9, 2018
On June 19th, 1999 I got hit by a van while taking a walk. As I lay unconscious in the hospital, the docs debated amputating my right leg and decided it could stay, on a trial basis. I got better. Every day of the 20 years since has been a gift.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) June 19, 2019
Lady in public lane: you’re very good at swimming you know..
Me: erm, thanks
Lady: no seriously, you should try and do a trial with the county club!
Me: erm, well I actually went to a couple of Olympics..
Lady: me too! Which sports did you get manage to get tickets for?
🤔
— Lizzie Simmonds (@LizzieSimmonds1) March 10, 2018
Try using trial!
True or False?
Trial can only be used as a noun.