experiment sentence verb

• More from M-W
• To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In

Definition of experiment

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of experiment  (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

• experimentation

Examples of experiment in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'experiment.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle English, "testing, proof, remedy," borrowed from Anglo-French esperiment, borrowed from Latin experīmentum "testing, experience, proof," from experīrī "to put to the test, attempt, have experience of, undergo" + -mentum -ment — more at experience entry 1

verbal derivative of experiment entry 1

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

1787, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing experiment

• control experiment
• controlled experiment
• experiment station
• pre - experiment
• thought experiment

Articles Related to experiment

This is the Difference Between a...

This is the Difference Between a Hypothesis and a Theory

In scientific reasoning, they're two completely different things

Dictionary Entries Near experiment

experiential time

experimental

Cite this Entry

“Experiment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/experiment. Accessed 23 Aug. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of experiment.

Kids Definition of experiment  (Entry 2 of 2)

Medical Definition

Medical definition of experiment.

Medical Definition of experiment  (Entry 2 of 2)

More from Merriam-Webster on experiment

Nglish: Translation of experiment for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of experiment for Arabic Speakers

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Plural and possessive names: a guide, 31 useful rhetorical devices, more commonly misspelled words, absent letters that are heard anyway, how to use accents and diacritical marks, popular in wordplay, 8 words for lesser-known musical instruments, it's a scorcher words for the summer heat, 7 shakespearean insults to make life more interesting, 10 words from taylor swift songs (merriam's version), 9 superb owl words, games & quizzes.

• Dictionaries home
• American English
• Collocations
• German-English
• Grammar home
• Practical English Usage
• Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
• Word Lists home
• My Word Lists
• Recent additions
• Resources home
• Text Checker

Definition of experiment verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• After experimenting at Columbia University, he realized that fission was the key to releasing nuclear energy.
• experiment on somebody/something Some people feel that experimenting on animals is wrong.
• They experimented successfully on the plants to discover disease-resistant varieties.
• experiment with something The country had secretly experimented with biological weapons for years.
• successfully
• continue to

Definitions on the go

Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Experience or experiment ?

We use experience as a verb when something happens to us, or we feel it. It is rather formal:

I experienced a feeling of deep sadness as I entered the refugee camp.

Customers have experienced problems in finding parking places at the mall.

We don’t use live instead of experience :

How children behave when they grow up depends on what they experience during early childhood.

Not: … what they live during early childhood .

Experiment as a verb means ‘try something in order to discover what it is like or to find out more about it’:

Scientists have experimented with liquids and gels in which plants can grow artificially.

I wish the government would stop experimenting with new teaching methods for our kids every couple of years.

We don’t use experiment when we are talking about feelings or things which happen:

She suddenly experienced a sensation of homesickness.

Not: … experimented a sensation …

The company’s Asia branch experienced a sharp drop in profits in 2007.

Not: … experimented a sharp drop …

Word of the Day

out of harm's way

in a position that is safe from harm or from which harm cannot be done

Trial, judge, and jury: talking about what happens when a criminal is caught

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists

To add ${headword} to a word list please sign up or log in.

Add ${headword} to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

Sentence examples for experiment from inspiring English sources

To conduct an experiment.

The word "experiment" is correct and can be used in written English. You can use it whenever you are referring to a scientific test or examination. For example, "The scientist conducted an experiment to determine the effects of the drug.".

We've started with a design and experience that is clean and simple and which allows us to experiment in real-time.

Someday, perhaps, we'll be in the mood to experiment again.

The commission found for the mass experiment in postal voting in June, though administration will need to improve.

Kansas is also $280m short on due payments for this fiscal year, following an experiment with historic tax cuts now in its fourth year.

A proposed experiment to test a way to deliver particles into the upper atmosphere using a balloon and a one kilometre-long pipe was cancelled in 2012 after it was reported that two of the scientists involved had submitted patent applications that were similar to the techniques being proposed.

It now appears that it began earlier still, as an experiment in both architecture and psychiatry, in the gardens of the hospital at Sant Boi.

The first major title to use the board was the fighting game Tekken, which originated as a test program to experiment with texture-mapped polygonal characters.

Write in English at your best, with Ludwig

Used by millions of students, scientific researchers, professional translators and editors from all over the world.

Be a smart writer

Most frequent sentences:, write in english at your best with ludwig.