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Synonyms

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.


market-research 2 American  
[mahr-kit-ree-surch, -ri-surch] / ˈmɑr kɪtˈri sɜrtʃ, -rɪˈsɜrtʃ /

verb (used with object)

  1. to conduct market research on.


market research British  

noun

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

"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 market research1

First recorded in 1925–30

Origin of market-research2

First recorded in 1965–70

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.

More than 70% of Chinese firms operating in South East Asia plan further expansion, according to market research firm Euromonitor International.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 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

PetTV is available to paid subscribers of Tencent Video, which said its market research found that 66 per cent of dog owners leave the television on for their pets when they are out.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 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

Kenna did badly when he was subjected to market research.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell