# test the waters

idiom

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

## Meaning

To explore or probe, as before making a commitment.

## Examples

- I will test the waters before I apply for that new job.
- Before investing all our savings into the new project, we decided to test the waters with a small pilot program.
- The author published a short story online to test the waters, hoping to gauge reader interest before committing to a full-length novel.

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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.