trial and error
noun
: a finding out of the best way to reach a desired result or a correct solution by trying out one or more ways or means and by noting and eliminating errors or causes of failure
also
: the trying of one thing or another until something succeeds
Examples of trial and error in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
What doesn’t work, for the most part, can be chalked up to the trial and error process typical for network comedies, which rely on regular fine-tuning to find their best self.
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Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
Like in most experimental studies, focusing on mice first will allow for trial and error, but Montine remains cautiously optimistic about what figuring out a treatment will mean for this young patient population.
—Leanne Miller, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2026
The military learned these lessons through painful trial and error, yet the self-driving community appears to be ignoring them.
—Missy Cummings, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Mar. 2026
No matter how much someone experiments through trial and error, improvement eventually hits a ceiling.
—R. Alexander Bentley, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026
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Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2026
Like in most experimental studies, focusing on mice first will allow for trial and error, but Montine remains cautiously optimistic about what figuring out a treatment will mean for this young patient population.
—Leanne Miller, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2026
The military learned these lessons through painful trial and error, yet the self-driving community appears to be ignoring them.
—Missy Cummings, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Mar. 2026
No matter how much someone experiments through trial and error, improvement eventually hits a ceiling.
—R. Alexander Bentley, The Conversation, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trial and error
Cite this Entry
“Trial and error.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trial%20and%20error. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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