experimental

adjective ex·per·i·men·tal \ ik-ˌsper-ə-ˈmen-tᵊl also -ˌspir- \

|Updated on: 14 Jul 2018

Examples: experimental in a Sentence

Definition of experimental

1 : of, relating to, or based on experience or experiment

2 a : serving the ends of or used as a means of experimentation

an experimental school

b : relating to or having the characteristics of experiment : tentative

still in the experimental stage

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experimentally

play \ik-ˌsper-ə-ˈmen-tᵊl-ē also -ˌspir-\ adverb

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Examples of experimental in a Sentence

The fuel is being used on an experimental basis.
an experimental procedure for patients suffering from leukemia

Recent Examples of experimental from the Web

Instead, the chance that an experimental cancer therapy will become an approved therapy is about 5 percent.

— sharon begley, STAT, "CRISPR makes cancer cells turncoats that attack their tumor, mouse study finds," 11 July 2018
Here are five additional films that showcase the 80s' gritty, original, sometimes experimental, and always vibrant new sounds.

— patrick friel, Chicago Reader, "Film / Music / Old Movies to Watch Now / On Video / Small Screen Urgh! A Music War and other punk and postpunk new wave cinema," 10 July 2018
In the new study, the researchers dropped the full experimental set up for photocatalysis down a 120m drop tower, creating an environment similar to microgravity.

— charles w. dunnill, Scientific American, "Method of Making Oxygen from Water in Zero Gravity Raises Hope for Long-Distance Space Travel," 10 July 2018
Kevin Davenport is an experimental physicist at the University of Utah and a 2018 AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellow with the Idaho Statesman: 208-377-6411, @tropnevaDniveK.

— kevin davenport, idahostatesman, "Symphony of the salmon: How scientists are learning by putting fish migration to music," 9 July 2018
Among the programs are ones devoted to international films, experimental works, surf and skate films, and animation.

— pam grady, SFChronicle.com, "Reel Local News: Frameline announces festival winners," 5 July 2018
Since the start of Medicaid expansion, 77 studies, most of them quasi-experimental in design, have been published.

— New York Times, "Finally, Some Answers on the Effects of Medicaid Expansion," 2 July 2018
Suddenly, everyone needed to find their place in this new modern, experimental, fast-paced world of entertainment, and in order to keep up, both studios and big-name actresses pivoted away from romantic comedies and towards more sure-fire genres.

— kathryn lindsay, refinery29.com, "The Rom-Com Renaissance Is Here Thanks To Netflix," 22 June 2018
That goal has made UCF one of the top spots in town for experimental theater.

— matthew j. palm, OrlandoSentinel.com, "New Pegasus PlayLab theater festival brings new works to UCF," 7 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'experimental.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of experimental

Middle English, borrowed from Medieval Latin experīmentālis, from Latin experīmentum "testing, experience, proof" + -ālis ¹-al — more at ¹experiment

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First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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