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

His ex-wife Lindsay was facing murder charges in connection with their deaths, but jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict following her trial in Massachusetts. — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026 Additionally, some of the prosecution’s most damning evidence against her was excluded from Lizzie’s trial. — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026 Clancy’s triple murder trial ended in a mistrial after jurors said they were deadlocked and a higher court rejected the defense’s bid to intervene in the deliberations. — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026 Peacock doesn't have a free trial, but there is a workaround. — Jason Cohen, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trial

Recent Examples of Synonyms for trial

Noun

Thompson, then 23, and Rocco James Surace, then 30, beat Ivester with chains, burned her with cigarettes and assaulted her with a chair leg during the horrific ordeal inside the Sunny Isles Motel, 16375 Biscayne Blvd.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 14 Sep. 2026
Despite the ordeal, Wiffen can’t wait to get back in the sky.

— Becca Longmire, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of ordeal

Noun

The plot, which stage director Adam Cioffari has moved to the present day, is about a small Italian opera company’s rehearsal gone wrong due to a titanic clash of egos.

— Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2026
Hargitay has been in steady rehearsals for the Emmy hosting gig, the first time a woman has hosted the show in 15 years.

— Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of rehearsal

Noun

However, that is not the case for specialty ambulatory settings, particularly procedural fields like orthopedics, namely laterality, precise description of special tests, range-of-motion findings, procedure details and clear return-visit plans.

— Pat Williams, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
How the tests actually work Most biological aging clocks rely on a process called DNA methylation.

— Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of test

Noun

In another incident that gave Europe a headache, officials suggested Russia was behind a drone that breached Lithuania’s airspace earlier this month.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2026
Typical symptoms are a high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle, bone or joint pain, nausea and vomiting, swollen glands, and skin rash.

— Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of headache

Adjective

At the forefront are Moderna and Merck, whose treatment combines a powerful immunotherapy drug with an experimental made-to-order mRNA cancer vaccine.

— Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
Laser weapons are moving beyond experimental laboratories and becoming practical tools for destroying drones, rockets, missiles, and other airborne threats.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of experimental

Noun

On Monday, Fort Smith Police Officer Jonathan Mounts and his family lost their home and belongings in a house fire, according to a Facebook post from the Fort Smith Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 39.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026
Some 200 emergency personnel responded, finding the plane with heavy flames and smoke from a complex engine compartment fire, the department said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of fire

Noun

The debate within the Democratic Party heading into the 2026 midterms offers a preview for those Democrats contemplating presidential bids in 2028.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026
The debate is a preview for 2028 The debate within the Democratic Party heading into the 2026 midterms offers a preview for those Democrats contemplating presidential bids in 2028.

— Steve Peoples, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026