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problem-solving

American  
[prahb-luhm sahl-ving] / ˈprɑb ləm ˈsɑl vɪŋ /

noun

  1. the process of assessing problems and developing strategies to achieve solutions.

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.

Valdes testified that Jeffries shows some difficulties with his processing speed, attention, and problem-solving.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

The study, "Creative problem-solving after experimentally provoking dreams of unsolved puzzles during REM sleep" was published in the journal Neuroscience of Consciousness on Feb. 5.

From Science Daily • Feb. 15, 2026

As frontier models, the technology capable of large-scale problem-solving, became widely available starting in 2022 as ChatGPT, adoption occurred at an unprecedented pace.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 29, 2026

The team also designed custom puzzle boxes to test the squirrels’ memory and problem-solving.

From Slate • Jan. 25, 2026

This was far from the clear lines of problem-solving and the systematic acquisition of knowledge.

From "Flowers for Algernon" by Daniel Keyes

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.