TRIAL Synonyms: 155 Similar and Opposite Words

trial 1 of 2

noun

ˈtrī(-ə)l

Definition of trial

as in ordeal

a test of faith, patience, or strength living with her insufferable relatives was a real trial

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in rehearsal

a private performance or session in preparation for a public appearance ran another trial of the aerial performance before opening night

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as in test

a procedure or operation carried out to resolve an uncertainty trials by medical researchers haven't determined whether the medication is safe or not

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as in attempt

an effort to do or accomplish something will rest and make another trial at climbing the mountain

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as in headache

something that is a source of irritation trying to have a coherent phone conversation with his senile father was always a trial

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

trial

2 of 2

adjective

as in experimental

made or done as an experiment a trial medical procedure that should be considered only after all other options have been exhausted

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of trial

Noun

The goal is to learn more about diseases and improve the success of clinical drug trials, something Simo says would be nearly impossible without AI. — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026 Six defendants pleaded guilty, but three chose to go to trial, including Jac Archer and Bajun Mavalwalla II. — Meg Anderson, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026 An antitrust challenge of the companies’ planned $110 billion merger by the attorneys general of 12 states along with the Writers Guild of America has put the deal on hold, with a judge soon to set a trial date. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 3 Aug. 2026 The trial will resume Monday morning at Plymouth County Superior Court. — Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trial

Recent Examples of Synonyms for trial

Noun

The author, in her latest video on the falling-out with people on the project, hinted at a painful ordeal that unfolded on set, leaving fans scratching their heads and wondering what exactly happened and who was involved.

— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
Clase’s camp has blamed the whole ordeal on a misinterpretation of texts and calls pertaining to rooster fighting.

— Zack Meisel, New York Times, 28 July 2026

Definition of ordeal

Noun

Infrared guides autonomy The tests centered on a sensor package known as the Legion Pod, which tracked a live T-38 aircraft during flight.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2026
Future tests could include trying to use giant arms at its Starbase launching site in Texas to grab the rocket and its booster upon its hovering return to earth.

— Bernard Condon, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of test

Noun

More than 150 migrants were rescued in the early hours of Tuesday morning after a boat caught fire in the English Channel in an attempt to travel from France to Britain, according to French authorities.

— Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2026
The current revival attempt is driven by higher capital costs and a backlash against ESG frameworks, offering a seemingly simple objective.

— Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of attempt

Noun

Because for sports spread thin across multiple broadcasters, and fewer bars, the headache for fans is only getting sharper.

— Leo MacLehose, Sportico.com, 31 July 2026
Typhus symptoms develop one to two weeks after a person becomes infected, and can include fever, headache, body aches, chills, rash, nausea and vomiting.

— Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 30 July 2026

Definition of headache

Adjective

Bardstown Bourbon Company, which is well known for indulging its experimental impulses, decided to blend together bourbon and rye and finish it in pineapple rum barrels with pieces of pineapple added to the whiskey for good measure.

— Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 2 Aug. 2026
The panel, several of whom are sellers of experimental peptides, dismissed the views of the agency’s staff, voting in favor of allowing compounding production of comparatively unregulated peptide treatments.

— Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of experimental

Noun

The Cubs welcomed the Dodgers to Wrigley Field on Monday for the start of a three-game series that could be a playoff preview.

— Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2026
Days before this preview opened, Palo Alto Networks documented a single operator wiring an open-source model into an agent harness and attacking 460 systems on autopilot.

— Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026