Rorschach test

American  

[rawr-shahk, rohr-] / ˈrɔr ʃɑk, ˈroʊr- /

noun

Psychology.

1. a test for revealing the underlying personality structure of an individual by the use of a standard series of 10 inkblot designs to which the subject responds by telling what image or emotion each design evokes.

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Rorschach test British  

/ ˈrɔrʃax, ˈrɔːʃɑːk /

noun

1. psychol a personality test consisting of a number of unstructured ink blots presented for interpretation

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Rorschach test Scientific  

/ rôr′shäk′,-shäkh′ /

1. A psychological test in which a subject's interpretations of a series of standard inkblots are analyzed as an indication of personality traits, preoccupations, and conflicts. The test is named after its inventor, Swiss psychiatrist and neurologist Hermann Rorschach (1884–1922).

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Rorschach test Cultural  

1. A test for personality traits that relies on the subject's interpretations of a series of inkblots. The test was developed by Hermann Rorschach, a Swiss psychiatrist of the twentieth century.

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Etymology

Origin of Rorschach test

1925–30; named after Hermann Rorschach (1884–1922), Swiss psychiatrist

Example Sentences

Stories that rest on personal anecdotes always leave space for doubt, which could make the Times piece more of a Rorschach test for one’s existing politics than an election-shifting revelation.

From Slate • Jun. 5, 2026

But as the movement grew, new interpretations spread, transforming the pink hats into a Rorschach test for where you were in the zeitgeist.

From Slate • Jan. 29, 2026

With the devastating prospect of a labor apocalypse threatening baseball’s future, the Milwaukee Brewers have emerged as a major-league Rorschach test.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 12, 2025

“It’s a Rorschach test of how it resonates with a viewer based on their own experience,” Lower says of her character’s neutral expression.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 2, 2025

It was a Rorschach test for the incurably insane.

From Violists by McGowan, Richard