machine learning

noun

1

: a computational method that is a subfield of artificial intelligence and that enables a computer to learn to perform tasks by analyzing a large dataset without being explicitly programmed

The company is curating the overall topics manually, but Twitter will be relying on machine learning to intelligently populate the topics themselves so that the tweets can stay up to date.

—Lucas Matney

Unsupervised learning, also known as unsupervised machine learning, uses machine learning algorithms to analyze and cluster unlabeled datasets. These algorithms discover hidden patterns or data groupings without the need for human intervention.

—IBM

Supervised machine learning requires labeled data to adjust the parameters of the model during training. … But without quality training data, supervised learning models will end up making poor inferences.

—Ben Dickson

Reinforcement machine learning trains machines through trial and error to take the best action by establishing a reward system. Reinforcement learning can train models to play games or train autonomous vehicles to drive by telling the machine when it made the right decisions, which helps it learn over time what actions it should take.

—Sara Brown

2

: the branch of computer science that employs machine learning

An entire subspecialty known as machine learning is devoted to building algorithms that allow computers to develop new behaviors based on experience.

—Adam Piore

While many scholars in the developing field of machine learning were focused on improving algorithms, [Cynthia] Rudin instead wanted to use AI's power to help society.

—Duke University

—abbreviation ML

Examples of machine learning in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In its early days the company employed about 100 leading scientists in machine learning and computational neuroscience from dozens of countries to work on these problems. —Alison Eldridge, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 May 2026

The company describes it as an ever-alert predictive risk monitor that embeds machine learning directly into the transaction cycle. —Ethan Stone, USA Today, 11 May 2026

Its co-founders, former a16z partner Jack Soslow and former Apple and Tenyx machine learning lead Jack Weissenberger, see AI adoption as an existential issue for the mid-market companies their startup is focused on servicing. —Jack Kubinec, Fortune, 11 May 2026

Going forward, the researchers plan to improve the prediction system using machine learning models inspired by how human brains build internal representations from experience. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 8 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1953, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for machine learning

• adjourning
• concerning
• discerning
• returning
• burning
• churning
• earning
• spurning
• turning
• yearning
• overturning