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
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As this was an observational study, the researchers noted that a prospective and randomized clinical trial is needed to confirm the findings. Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025 Less than 1 percent of clinical trials include pregnant or breastfeeding people. Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025 In a groundbreaking clinical trial, Stanford Medicine researchers and global collaborators have developed a wireless retinal implant called PRIMA that's helping people with untreatable vision loss see again, not just light, but actual shapes and patterns. Pranjal Malewar, New Atlas, 23 Oct. 2025 That’s the major takeaway from clinical trial results published in the journal JMIR Serious Games. Korin Miller, SELF, 23 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clinical trial

Word History

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clinical trial was in 1946

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Cite this Entry

“Clinical trial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clinical%20trial. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on clinical trial

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