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
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In this way, the robot’s system zero has learned by trial and error to walk and stay upright with high accuracy.
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Billy Perrigo, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Finding the perfect one—one that doesn’t feel like a potato sack or scratch your skin—often takes a lot of trial and error, but the easiest way to sift through the endless options and find your next favorite sweater is by checking out what real shoppers have to say.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 8 Oct. 2025
Reinforcement learning is a decades-old approach that involves evolving systems through trial and error to improve outcomes over time.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
A lot of entrepreneurship is trial and error.
—Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trial and error
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Billy Perrigo, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Finding the perfect one—one that doesn’t feel like a potato sack or scratch your skin—often takes a lot of trial and error, but the easiest way to sift through the endless options and find your next favorite sweater is by checking out what real shoppers have to say.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 8 Oct. 2025
Reinforcement learning is a decades-old approach that involves evolving systems through trial and error to improve outcomes over time.
—Jordan Novet, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
A lot of entrepreneurship is trial and error.
—Tim Brinkhof, Big Think, 6 Oct. 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 13 Oct. 2025.
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