# put to the test

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/put-to-the-test
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To test (something or someone); to evaluate, scrutinize or explore by testing or experimentation.

## Examples

- This new car will be put to the test on the highway.
- After months of training, the athletes were finally put to the test during the regional championship games.
- The sudden economic crisis put the government's new financial policies to the test, revealing significant flaws in their long-term strategy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.