market research

¹ American  

noun

1. the gathering and studying of data relating to consumer preferences, purchasing power, etc., especially prior to introducing a product on the market.

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market-research ² American  

[mahr-kit-ree-surch, -ri-surch] / ˈmɑr kɪtˈri sɜrtʃ, -rɪˈsɜrtʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to conduct market research on.

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market research British  

noun

1. the study of influences upon customer and consumer behaviour and the analysis of market characteristics and trends

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Etymology

Origin of market research¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Origin of market-research²

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

That shift is already large enough to show up in market research.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

“Bitcoin has broken the ceiling of the falling trend in the short term,” according to technical analysis from market research group Investtech.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

“These verdicts mark an unsurprising breaking point. Negative sentiment toward social media has been building for years, and now it’s finally boiled over,” said Mike Proulx, a director at Forrester, a market research company.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

Bargain offers have helped chains slow traffic losses, though the most cash-strapped consumers have yet to fully return, according to market research firm Revenue Management Solutions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

“Oh, I was in market research, to begin with,” he says diffidently.

From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood