laboratory
noun
lab·o·ra·to·ry
ˈla-b(ə-)rə-ˌtȯr-ē 
sometimes ˈla-bər-ˌtȯr-,
or ˈla-bə-ˌtȯr-,
or lə-ˈbȯr-ə-ˌtȯr-
plural laboratories
often attributive
1
a
: a place equipped for experimental study in a science or for testing and analysis
a research laboratory
broadly
: a place providing opportunity for experimentation, observation, or practice in a field of study
b
: a place like a laboratory for testing, experimentation, or practice
That area is a laboratory for cultivating the germ of terrorism.
2
: an academic period set aside for laboratory work
a course of study requiring two lectures and one laboratory per week
Examples of laboratory in a Sentence
experiments conducted in a modern laboratory
Recent Examples on the Web
Other areas include a mission operations center and a laboratory where Astroscale tests equipment and software.
—
Judith Kohler, The Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2025
However, the toxicology report could take three months or longer to complete, depending on the laboratory’s workload, Mendoza told NBC.
—Josh Campbell, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
According to the university, the concrete construction made the building impossible to adapt for new laboratory space.
—Michael Allen, The Conversation, 27 Feb. 2025
Universities have considered pausing graduate-student admissions; leaders of laboratories have mulled firing staff.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laboratory
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Judith Kohler, The Denver Post, 28 Feb. 2025
However, the toxicology report could take three months or longer to complete, depending on the laboratory’s workload, Mendoza told NBC.
—Josh Campbell, CNN, 28 Feb. 2025
According to the university, the concrete construction made the building impossible to adapt for new laboratory space.
—Michael Allen, The Conversation, 27 Feb. 2025
Universities have considered pausing graduate-student admissions; leaders of laboratories have mulled firing staff.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for laboratory
Cite this Entry
“Laboratory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laboratory. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
laboratory
noun
lab·o·ra·to·ry
ˈlab-(ə-)rə-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
-ˌtȯr-
plural laboratories
: a place equipped for making scientific experiments and tests
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share