heuristics

British

/ hjʊəˈrɪstɪks /

noun

(functioning as singular) maths logic a method or set of rules for solving problems other than by algorithm See also algorithm artificial intelligence

"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

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.

At the very least, these models are useful heuristics amid extreme uncertainty—and right now, we need all the good heuristics we can get.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

The default heuristics are intended to help the user get started.

From Science Daily • Mar. 27, 2024

Problem- solving with heuristics is largely unconscious, automated, effortless, and efficient, but it is not always correct.

From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022

When faced with a hard problem, we use mental shortcuts called heuristics to help us make decisions without fully understanding everything about the problem we’re facing.

From Scientific American • Jun. 3, 2022

European writing and Oriental ideographic writing have each participated in this process of defining logic, rhetoric, heuristics, and dialectics.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai

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