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 vaccination trials started in the eastern Tshopo, Haut-Uele and Bas-Uele provinces, said Placide Mbala Kingebeni, Africa CDC's director for research, clinical trials and innovation, on Thursday. — Jean-Yves Kamale, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2026

Wilde says there is much to be learned about optimal dosing and duration and how long the treatment works, given the need for definitive clinical trials. — Mirin Fader, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Researchers face a Catch-22 because committees overseeing clinical trials likely wouldn't allow testing an experimental drug on healthy patients, Bischof said. — Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026

Large clinical trials have shown that this treatment significantly reduces tic severity for many children and adults. — Michael Okun, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 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