To experiment means to try something in a careful, systematic way to see what happens or to test whether an idea is correct. Scientists experiment by changing one thing at a time and observing the results. A chemist might experiment with different combinations of substances to see which ones react. A chef experiments with ingredients to create a new recipe. When you experiment with different study methods to see which helps you remember vocabulary best, you're testing approaches to find what works.

Experiments usually involve asking a question, making a prediction about what might happen, and then actually trying it to see if you were right. A classic school experiment might test whether plants grow better in sunlight or shade. You'd put one plant in each place, water them the same amount, and measure their growth.

When you experiment, you're willing to try something without knowing for certain how it will turn out. Thomas Edison experimented with thousands of materials before finding the right filament for his light bulb. Each experimental attempt taught him something, even when it didn't work. That's the spirit of experimentation: learning by doing, staying curious, and not being afraid to discover that your first guess was wrong.