trial and error
/ˌtraɪəl ənd ˈerə/NEUTRAL · C2
Meaning
trying different methods and learning from what goes wrong
Examples
- 1There was no manual, so we worked out the new coffee machine by trial and error.
- 2Finding the right bread recipe took months of trial and error in my tiny kitchen.
- 3Nobody taught Priya to code; she learned through trial and error, fixing one bug at a time.
- 4The team found the best layout for the shop by trial and error, moving the shelves every week.
- 5Is there a quicker way to learn this than trial and error? I've burnt three pizzas already.
Grammar
An uncountable noun phrase with no article, often after by or through. It can also go before a noun: a trial-and-error approach.
Similar in meaning
More idioms about education
All 20 idioms and the topic quiz →the penny dropssomeone finally understands something after a whilea crash coursea short period of lessons that teaches a lot very quicklyrack your brainsto think very hard to remember or solve somethinggo over your headto be too difficult for you to understandout of your depthwithout enough knowledge or skill to deal with somethingteacher's petthe favourite pupil in a class, who gets special treatment
English Idioms400 idioms in 20 topics — with reviews that keep them from fading
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