quality control

American  

noun

1. a system for verifying and maintaining a desired level of quality in an existing product or service by careful planning, use of proper equipment, continued inspection, and corrective action as required.

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quality control British  

noun

1. control of the relative quality of a manufactured product, usually by statistical sampling techniques

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Etymology

Origin of quality control

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

The organization had preserved these cans over many years for quality control but eventually no longer needed them.

From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026

The model relies on a sharply curated assortment—often just a few thousand stock-keeping units, far fewer than a typical hypermarket—which simplifies choice and reinforces a perception of disciplined quality control.

From Barron's • Mar. 7, 2026

It was analyzed by a private lab, and the FBI is awaiting quality control and confirmation before uploading information into a criminal database for potential DNA matches.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 16, 2026

The agency said it has received preliminary DNA test results on the glove and is still waiting for "quality control and official confirmation" before entering an "unknown male profile" into its database.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2026

Moreover, if this trade-off is not acknowledged, there is a tendency to deny or cover up the inevitable defective items, which makes the job of quality control that much more difficult.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos