clinical trial

noun

: a scientifically controlled study of the safety and effectiveness of a therapeutic agent (such as a drug or vaccine) using consenting human subjects

Examples of clinical trial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The company has already achieved something no one had done before, using AI from end to end to design a drug candidate that reached phase 2 clinical trials. — Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026

Even though mFlusiva outperformed the traditional flu shot in a late-stage clinical trial, its approval was not a sure thing. — Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 6 Aug. 2026

The approval covers two of the most vulnerable populations for flu—adults aged 50 to 65 and adults aged 65 and up—on the condition that Moderna will run a further clinical trial in the older group. — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2026

But every vial of insulin or GLP-1 medication on a pharmacist’s shelf is the product of decades of clinical trials and safety testing. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for clinical trial

• sensorial
• denial
• mistrial
• posttrial
• pretrial
• retrial
• dial
• rial
• thiol
• vial

Medical Definition

clinical trial

noun

: a scientifically controlled study of the safety and effectiveness of a therapeutic agent (as a drug or vaccine) using consenting human subjects