1
as in ordeal
a test of faith, patience, or strength
living with her insufferable relatives was a real trial
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2
as in rehearsal
a private performance or session in preparation for a public appearance
ran another trial of the aerial performance before opening night
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3
as in test
a procedure or operation carried out to resolve an uncertainty
trials by medical researchers haven't determined whether the medication is safe or not
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4
5
as in headache
something that is a source of irritation
trying to have a coherent phone conversation with his senile father was always a trial
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in experimental
made or done as an experiment
a trial medical procedure that should be considered only after all other options have been exhausted
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of trial
Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 7 Jan. 2026
Directed by Alexandria Stapleton, the project streamed on Netflix and dug into Combs’ life and career, his success in the music industry, and how abuse allegations leveled by his ex, Cassie, led to a wave of accusations and a criminal trial that landed Combs in prison.
—Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 7 Jan. 2026
The petition asked the court to grant Smart a reverse all findings of guilt and grant Smart a trial or schedule a new sentencing hearing.
—Colleen Cronin, Boston Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
The prosecution is being led by Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian, whose recent cases included the Menendez brothers’ attempt at resentencing and the trial of Robert Durst.
—Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for trial
Noun
Martel sheds light on the murder trial of the three men, the lives of Chocobar and his fellow Chuchagasta people, and the centuries-old, colonialist legacy of land and property theft across Latin America.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for trial
Noun
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But Hannah's ordeal was far from over.—
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As oblivion approached, with all its attendant possibilities of panic or bitterness, Bowie summoned the generosity to evoke the ordeal of one prematurely dying man while also thinking and creating at the no less vast scale of life itself.—
Noun
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During rehearsal, Armstrong seemed free of any cellophane wrapping.—
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Variety caught up with Thayil last weekend during a break from rehearsals for the show.—
Noun
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The Missouri Tigers will face their first power conference test Wednesday.—
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The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people, including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.—
Noun
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The Panthers go for it more than any other team in the playoffs and finished the regular season with the second-most fourth-down attempts in the NFL.—
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Trump has also repeatedly lashed out over the state’s incarceration of Tina Peters, the former county clerk convicted of state felonies related to her attempts to prove discredited election conspiracies shared by the president.—
Noun
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The illness tends to come on abruptly, with symptoms including fever, sore throat, headaches and fatigue.—
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Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea.—
Adjective
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Industry analysts warn that social stigma remains high and inflation threatens to curb spending on experimental, nonessential goods.—
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In an interview with Interesting Engineering, UEL researcher Daehyun Kim explained that SCARABS focuses on exploration reliability rather than experimental payloads.—
Noun
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Republicans have also launched a congressional investigation into the fire response.—
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Local fire and government authorities are notified prior to burn days and kept informed throughout prescribed fire operations.—
Noun
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From comfort food classics to more elevated plates, several bites stood out at a preview event.—
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Spanberger has provided a disquieting preview of progressives’ affordability agendas elsewhere.—
Cite this Entry
“Trial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/trial. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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