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Synonyms

case study

American  

noun

  1. a study of an individual unit, as a person, family, or social group, usually emphasizing developmental issues and relationships with the environment, especially in order to compare a larger group to the individual unit.

  2. case history.

case study British  

noun

  1. the act or an instance of analysing one or more particular cases or case histories with a view to making generalizations

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of case study

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Humira is just one example, but it’s a fascinating case study for understanding how healthcare costs have gotten so horribly out of control and what’s needed to fix it.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

Situated in the east end of Glasgow, the area was, at one point, a case study in how not to build new housing developments.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

A case study released alongside the global assessment identifies 20 migratory fish species in the Amazon that meet the criteria for potential CMS Appendix II listing.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

But Daly was careful about what the 2025 case study actually proves.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

The Mutual is a case study of this color-caste system at work.

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.