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
How to pick a curl cream Anyone with curly hair knows that perfecting your product roster can take some trial and error.
—
Grace McCarty, Glamour, 19 Dec. 2025
Change the numbers at the end, and a user could browse India’s censorship history — not through a browsable interface, but trial and error.
—Viren Naidu, IndieWire, 18 Dec. 2025
Through trial and error, the team built drones of various shapes and sizes, from the standard quad-copter design to one shaped like a rocket and designed for speed, at a fraction of the cost of commercially available products.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Dec. 2025
The approach, which is based on reinforcement learning—a technique where an agent learns by trial and error to accomplish a goal—should help power more capable virtual assistants and, eventually, real-world robots.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 16 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trial and error
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Grace McCarty, Glamour, 19 Dec. 2025
Change the numbers at the end, and a user could browse India’s censorship history — not through a browsable interface, but trial and error.
—Viren Naidu, IndieWire, 18 Dec. 2025
Through trial and error, the team built drones of various shapes and sizes, from the standard quad-copter design to one shaped like a rocket and designed for speed, at a fraction of the cost of commercially available products.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Dec. 2025
The approach, which is based on reinforcement learning—a technique where an agent learns by trial and error to accomplish a goal—should help power more capable virtual assistants and, eventually, real-world robots.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 16 Dec. 2025
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 20 Dec. 2025.
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