# trial

/ˈtɹaɪəɫ/ (US) · /tɹˈaɪəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/trial
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. legal process

noun · CEFR B2

a formal meeting in a court where a judge or jury decides if someone is guilty of a crime.

For teachers: a formal examination of evidence before a judge, and typically a jury, in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings.

- The murder trial lasted for three weeks before the jury reached a verdict.
- The high-profile fraud trial was adjourned until Monday to allow the defense team more time to review the newly discovered financial records.

### 2. a test of quality

noun · CEFR B2

a test to see how well someone or something performs before making a final decision.

For teachers: a formal or systematic test of the performance, qualities, or suitability of someone or something.

- The company is offering a free 30-day trial of their new software.
- Clinical trials for the new vaccine were expanded to include a broader demographic to ensure its efficacy across different age groups.

### 3. a difficult experience

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a person or situation that is very difficult to deal with or tests your patience.

For teachers: a person, experience, or situation that tests a person's endurance, patience, or faith.

- Living in such a small apartment with four roommates was a real trial.
- The long winter proved to be a severe trial for the isolated community, testing their resources and their resolve to the limit.

### 4. to test something

verb · CEFR B2

to test a new product or way of doing things to see if it is successful.

For teachers: to subject a product, process, or person to a series of tests to evaluate performance or suitability.

- The school is trialling a new lunch menu to see if the students like it.
- The hospital began trialling the automated patient-monitoring system in the intensive care unit before considering a facility-wide rollout.

### 5. experimental

adjective · CEFR B2

used for a test or for a short time to see if something works.

For teachers: relating to a test or done on a provisional basis to assess effectiveness.

- They are running a trial period for the new flexible working hours.
- The trial separation allowed the couple to evaluate their relationship without the immediate pressure of divorce proceedings.

## Examples

- The murder trial lasted for three weeks.
- The pharmaceutical company is conducting a clinical trial to ensure the new drug is safe for public use.
- The defendant's right to a fair and speedy trial is a cornerstone of the justice system, ensuring that evidence is weighed impartially before any sentence is passed.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.