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controlled experiment

American

noun

an experiment or trial that uses controls, usually separating the subjects into one or more control groups and experimental groups.

Etymology

Origin of controlled experiment

First recorded in 1885–90

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.

To isolate the issue, Duffy and Li designed a controlled experiment with people ages 45 to 55.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 16, 2026

Sahab's team applied a randomized controlled experiment to determine the causal effects of conversational AI facilitation in online discussions in reducing prejudice and anxiety.

From Science Daily • May 10, 2024

Note: This was a carefully controlled experiment, run by doctors.

From NewsForKids.net • Apr. 30, 2024

The 1970s were a period of significant economic turmoil, including the Arab oil embargo and the end of the gold standard — hardly the setting for a controlled experiment.

From New York Times • Jan. 13, 2022

It seems like a perfectly controlled experiment in the evolution of human societies.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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