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

“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

“The core driver is a rapidly worsening memory supply crunch,” market research firm Counterpoint Research said in a recent report.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Aiming to tap the potential of AI, 96% of software engineering organizations surveyed by market research and IT consulting firm Gartner offer the use of AI tools to their developers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

Opening night audiences gave “Hoppers” an average grade of A, according to market research firm CinemaScore.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

A large group of students were recruited for what they were told was a market research study by a company making high-tech headphones.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell