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

See Examples For:

quality control

This allows for dose customization but isn’t subject to the same reviews for safety, efficacy or consistency, and may carry added risks related to quality control, potency variation or contamination.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

Under normal conditions, SEL1L acts as part of the cell's quality control system by identifying damaged or misfolded proteins and marking them for destruction.

From Science Daily ● May 21, 2026

AI tools now run alongside traditional human audits to compare results and ensure quality control.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 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

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