heu·ris·tic
hyu̇-ˈri-stik 
: involving or serving as an aid to learning, discovery, or problem-solving by experimental and especially trial-and-error methods
heuristic techniques
a heuristic assumption
also
: of or relating to exploratory problem-solving techniques that utilize self-educating techniques (such as the evaluation of feedback) to improve performance
a heuristic computer program
1
: the study or practice of heuristic (see heuristic entry 1) procedure
2
: heuristic (see heuristic entry 1) argument
3
: a heuristic (see heuristic entry 1) method or procedure
Examples of heuristic in a Sentence
Adjective
If Orbitz prevails, its online reservation process alone may blow away the competition. Unlike mainframe-based systems … , Orbitz uses racks of PCs to search fare data, making it easier to scale up computing power. And its intelligent … algorithms evaluate all the possible fares simultaneously instead of employing heuristic shortcuts designed to use as little computing power as possible.
—
Evan Ratliff, WIRED, September 2000
Because "tradition" has served as a powerful heuristic term, we are always in danger of reifying it …
—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Reading Black, Reading Feminist, 1990
Its heuristic principle would be St. Augustine's axiom that the Old Testament is revealed in the New and the New concealed in the Old …
—V. B. Leitch, American Literary Criticism from the Thirties to the Eighties, 1988
Noun
"Cult" is best understood not as a descriptor, but as a command, like a law officer's "Halt!" Its purpose is to stop and contain. A more useful heuristic would be to identify precisely the most disturbing practices, beliefs, or incidents in the world of a "cult" …
—Robert A. Orsi, Commonweal, 6 Oct. 2000
Search engines … use heuristics to determine the way in which to order—and thereby prioritize—pages.
—Soumen Chakrabarti et al., Scientific American, June 1999
Evan Ratliff, WIRED, September 2000
Because "tradition" has served as a powerful heuristic term, we are always in danger of reifying it …
—Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Reading Black, Reading Feminist, 1990
Its heuristic principle would be St. Augustine's axiom that the Old Testament is revealed in the New and the New concealed in the Old …
—V. B. Leitch, American Literary Criticism from the Thirties to the Eighties, 1988
Noun
"Cult" is best understood not as a descriptor, but as a command, like a law officer's "Halt!" Its purpose is to stop and contain. A more useful heuristic would be to identify precisely the most disturbing practices, beliefs, or incidents in the world of a "cult" …
—Robert A. Orsi, Commonweal, 6 Oct. 2000
Search engines … use heuristics to determine the way in which to order—and thereby prioritize—pages.
—Soumen Chakrabarti et al., Scientific American, June 1999
Recent Examples on the Web
Hamilton Mann, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
At its core, this approach employs heuristic and commonsense reasoning, leveraging past experiences to navigate present challenges.
—Hamilton Mann, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Research published in the Journal of Relationships Research found that individuals often use ease as a heuristic when taking another person’s perspective.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heuristic
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Adjective
Similarly, a crisis situation might demand an immediate heuristic or rule-based response, followed by an in-depth analytical review after the fact.
—Hamilton Mann, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
At its core, this approach employs heuristic and commonsense reasoning, leveraging past experiences to navigate present challenges.
—Hamilton Mann, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
The heuristics and methodologies that proved adequate for crypto's early days must now demonstrate scientific rigor sufficient for courtrooms and criminal prosecutions.
—Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Research published in the Journal of Relationships Research found that individuals often use ease as a heuristic when taking another person’s perspective.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heuristic
Cite this Entry
“Heuristic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heuristic. Accessed 11 May. 2025.
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