# test case

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/test-case
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. software testing

noun · CEFR B2 · Technical

a set of steps and data used to check if a computer program works correctly in a specific situation.

For teachers: a set of conditions, inputs, and expected results developed to determine if a software application or feature functions correctly.

- The developer wrote a test case to make sure the login button worked.
- The quality assurance team designed a comprehensive test case to verify how the database handles simultaneous requests from multiple users.

Usage: Often used with the verbs 'run', 'execute', or 'design'.

### 2. legal precedent

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

a court case that is used to decide if a law is fair or how it should be used in the future.

For teachers: a legal action brought to court to establish a precedent or to clarify the interpretation of a law.

- This trial will be a test case for new environmental protection laws.
- The civil rights group brought a test case to the Supreme Court, hoping to overturn the discriminatory local ordinance.

Usage: Commonly used with the verbs 'bring', 'mount', or 'serve as'.

### 3. general trial

noun · CEFR B2

a situation that is used to see if a new idea or theory is true.

For teachers: an individual instance or example used to evaluate the feasibility or truth of a broader hypothesis.

- The small village served as a test case for the government's new solar energy project.
- The company used the regional branch as a test case for the four-day work week before implementing the policy nationwide.

## Examples

- The new environmental law will face its first test case in court tomorrow.
- Lawyers chose this specific lawsuit as a test case to see if the supreme court would uphold the new privacy regulations.
- The pilot program in the small municipality served as a test case for national healthcare reform, providing essential data on cost-efficiency and patient outcomes before a wider rollout.

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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.