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pilot study

British  

noun

  1. a small-scale experiment or set of observations undertaken to decide how and whether to launch a full-scale project

"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

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A small pilot study suggests that eating blueberries every day may influence gut bacteria and potentially affect mood in older adults.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2026

The pilot study was able to predict five collapses at least several hours — sometimes even days — before they happened.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

The 120-mile river that runs near the border in northern Mexico and Southern California was the site of a pilot study in 2025.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 20, 2026

In the small pilot study, researchers tested whether tocilizumab, a drug commonly prescribed for inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, could ease depression symptoms in patients who had not improved with standard antidepressants.

From Science Daily ● May 28, 2026

In search of a future; a pilot study of career-seeking experiences of selected high school graduates in Washington, D.C.

From The Negro in the United States; a selected bibliography. Compiled by Dorothy B. Porter by Dorothy B. Porter

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