trial and error

American  

noun

1. experimentation or investigation in which various methods or means are tried and faulty ones eliminated in order to find the correct solution or to achieve the desired result or effect.

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trial and error British  

noun

1. a method of discovery, solving problems, etc, based on practical experiment and experience rather than on theory

   he learned to cook by trial and error

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trial and error Cultural  

1. To “proceed by trial and error” is to experiment, rejecting what does not work and adopting what does.

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trial and error Idioms  

1. An attempt to accomplish something by trying various means until the correct one is found. for example, The only way to solve this problem is by trial and error. The error here alludes to the failed means or attempts, which are discarded until the right way is found. [c. 1800]

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Other Word Forms

• trial-and-error adjective

Etymology

Origin of trial and error

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

It took some trial and error to arrive at the 15-minute construct.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

Figuring out who and how you love takes trial and error, two things Andie and Blane both endure while trying to fit into each other’s respective worlds.

From Salon • Feb. 28, 2026

With no formal engineering background, Richardson began collecting information online, perusing old manuals, learning through trial and error.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

Meanwhile, a coup may be on the way in China's island province of Hainan, where years of trial and error are bearing fruit.

From BBC • Jan. 10, 2026

Early farmers would have discovered by trial and error that they could obtain higher yields by tilling and watering the soil and then sowing seeds.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond