market research: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Business/Professional
Quick answer
What does “market research” mean?
The systematic collection and analysis of information about a target market, consumers, and competitors, used to inform business decisions, particularly regarding new products or services.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The systematic collection and analysis of information about a target market, consumers, and competitors, used to inform business decisions, particularly regarding new products or services.
The broader business activity of gathering, recording, and analyzing data relating to market opportunities, customer preferences, competitive environments, and product potential. It is a key function within marketing strategy and business development.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or primary usage. Minor variations in phrasing: 'do some market research' (UK/US) is universal. The compound noun is identical.
Connotations
Equally professional and standard in both dialects.
Frequency
Equally frequent and core in business contexts in both dialects.
Grammar
How to Use “market research” in a Sentence
to conduct market research into/on somethingto do market research for somethingmarket research by a companymarket research among a target groupVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “market research” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We need to market-research that demographic thoroughly.
- They are market-researching the feasibility of the concept.
American English
- We should market-research this idea before the meeting.
- The team is tasked with market-researching consumer reactions.
adjective
British English
- She works for a market-research agency.
- The market-research findings were conclusive.
American English
- He presented the market-research data.
- We reviewed the market-research report.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Essential term. 'Before launching the product, we need to conduct thorough market research.'
Academic
Used in business, economics, and marketing studies. 'The paper critiques the methodologies employed in contemporary market research.'
Everyday
Understood but less frequently used. 'They did some market research before opening the café.'
Technical
Specific methodologies are detailed (e.g., 'We employed a conjoint analysis in our market research').
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “market research”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “market research”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “market research”
- Using 'market researches' as a plural countable noun (it's usually uncountable: 'lots of market research').
- Confusing 'market research' (specific studies) with 'marketing' (the overall business activity).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is generally treated as an uncountable (mass) noun. You conduct 'market research', not 'a market research'. You can have 'some market research' or 'a piece of market research'.
'Marketing' is the broad, overall business process of promoting and selling products or services. 'Market research' is a specific activity within marketing that involves gathering and analyzing data to inform marketing decisions.
The two primary types are 'primary research' (collecting new data directly, e.g., via surveys, interviews) and 'secondary research' (analyzing existing data, e.g., reports, studies). It is also split into 'qualitative' (understanding motivations, opinions) and 'quantitative' (measuring with numbers, statistics).
Informally, in business contexts, it can be used as a verb (e.g., 'We need to market-research this'), often hyphenated. However, phrases like 'conduct market research on...' are more formally standard.
The systematic collection and analysis of information about a target market, consumers, and competitors, used to inform business decisions, particularly regarding new products or services.
Market research is usually business/professional in register.
Market research: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɑːkɪt rɪˌsɜːtʃ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɑːrkɪt ˈriːsɜːrtʃ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Do your homework (in a business context).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: To RESEARCH a MARKET = MARKET RESEARCH. You go to the 'market' (where customers are) to 'research' (study) them.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/INFORMATION IS A MAP (Market research provides a map for navigating the market).
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase is closest in meaning to 'market research'?