trials

plural of trial
1
2
as in rehearsals
a private performance or session in preparation for a public appearance ran another trial of the aerial performance before opening night

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in tests
a procedure or operation carried out to resolve an uncertainty trials by medical researchers haven't determined whether the medication is safe or not

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
5

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 trials Data from two phase three trials evaluating the efficacy of litifilimab will be published in the fourth quarter of 2026. — Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026 During sea trials, the yacht exceeded expectations, reaching a top speed of 16 knots. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2026 Through the Reco Incubation Lab, participants work on material selection, design, production trials and prototyping, according to Indorama Ventures. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026 That's a painstaking process involving dozens of other experts that will ultimately set the stage for the kind of larger, multisite trials that can get at some fundamental questions for scientists and the public. — Will Stone, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026 Previous phase 2 trials had already shown that the drug could reduce subcutaneous fat, the layer of fat directly beneath the skin. — Sadie Chafe, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026 Pillay, 85, received the news while attending a forum in Nuremberg, Germany, where the trials of Nazi war criminals helped lay the foundations of international law. — Stefanie Dazio, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026 The destroyer completed the builder’s sea trials earlier in 2025 before undergoing acceptance trials under the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026 The dramatic lighting and wax museums are just spooky enough to summon the spirit of the witch trials without being off-putting for children. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for trials
Noun
  • But passengers don’t have to be helpless during these stressful ordeals.
    — Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The two have remained united throughout the murder investigation and subsequent legal ordeals regarding Kohberger.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • That period includes fittings, hair and makeup tests and rehearsals to ensure the costumes work with the choreography.
    — Tanya Fedak, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Bieber’s dance rehearsals and the functional off-stage uniform of ballet dancers.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • We were inspired from how many great discoveries that went on to revolutionize science and medicine came about from looking around in nature and finding these odd things—PCR [polymerase chain reaction] tests, for example, or CRISPR.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actor Ayo Edebiri passes both tests.
    — Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Last weekend in Highland, Michigan, Rogers dismissed El-Sayed's attempts to whittle away at his GOP base of support.
    — Aaron Navarro, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Proposition 132 attempts to address these concerns by stiffening legal penalties.
    — Joshua Barocas, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In Meta’s case, creepy video-recording incidents and privacy-light tampering have caused severe headaches for the company.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Neurological symptoms, like persistent headaches, may also warrant seeing a doctor.
    — Angelica Stabile , Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Hackers raised the temperature of refrigerators and freezers, sparking fires and causing food to spoil.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The Paris prosecutor’s office said Tuesday that its cybercrime unit was investigating the large-scale attack, including the extent of damage caused by spoiled food and reports of fires.
    — Angela Charlton, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Robots learn from experiments A separate Google project tested whether agents could improve DNA aptamers, short molecules that fold into shapes capable of attaching to specific proteins.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • King Princess, ushered in a new era for her experiments in sonically fluid sapphic pop.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • For example, using a quantum computer to break the current RSA-2048 encryption employed in website security, banking and electronic ID cards would require magic states that would fail only once in 10 billion tries.
    — Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Seguin’s goal, tying the score late in the first period, was Dallas’ first home power-play goal in eight tries.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trials.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trials. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!