laboratory
noun
lab·o·ra·to·ry
ˈla-b(ə-)rə-ˌtȯr-ē 
sometimes ˈla-bər-ˌtȯr-
or ˈla-bə-ˌtȯr-
or lə-ˈbȯr-ə-ˌtȯr-
plural laboratories
often attributive
1
a
: a place equipped for experimental study in a science or for testing and analysis
a research laboratory
broadly
: a place providing opportunity for experimentation, observation, or practice in a field of study
b
: a place like a laboratory for testing, experimentation, or practice
That area is a laboratory for cultivating the germ of terrorism.
2
: an academic period set aside for laboratory work
a course of study requiring two lectures and one laboratory per week
Examples of laboratory in a Sentence
experiments conducted in a modern laboratory
Recent Examples on the Web
In January, authorities announced more than 1,500 pounds of meth were seized from clandestine laboratories in the states of Durango, Sinaloa and Michoacán.
—
CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
The state, like Pastor Billy’s organization, has emerged as a laboratory for innovative ideas for harnessing technology to help break down barriers holding people back.
—Rajiv J. Shah, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis, a biologist at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil, who wasn’t involved in the research, says that the study was an important step forward because previous research had only been conducted in laboratory settings.
—Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 20 Apr. 2026
The theoretical paper was published in Physical Review Letters, and the team is expected to conduct laboratory experiments to verify the same soon.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for laboratory
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CBS News, 21 Apr. 2026
The state, like Pastor Billy’s organization, has emerged as a laboratory for innovative ideas for harnessing technology to help break down barriers holding people back.
—Rajiv J. Shah, Baltimore Sun, 21 Apr. 2026
Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis, a biologist at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Brazil, who wasn’t involved in the research, says that the study was an important step forward because previous research had only been conducted in laboratory settings.
—Gennaro Tomma, Scientific American, 20 Apr. 2026
The theoretical paper was published in Physical Review Letters, and the team is expected to conduct laboratory experiments to verify the same soon.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for laboratory
Cite this Entry
“Laboratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laboratory. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
laboratory
noun
lab·o·ra·to·ry
ˈlab-(ə-)rə-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
-ˌtȯr-
plural laboratories
: a place equipped for making scientific experiments and tests
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