aptitude test

American  

noun

1. any of various tests given to measure abilities, as manual dexterity, visual acuity, reasoning, or verbal comprehension, and used to assist in the selection of a career.

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aptitude test British  

noun

1. a test designed to assess a person's ability to do a particular type of work

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Etymology

Origin of aptitude test

First recorded in 1920–25

Compare meaning

How does aptitude-test compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• achievement test vs. aptitude test

Example Sentences

After her divorce, she went to Indiana University Southeast to sit for an aptitude test.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

After failing an aptitude test with tech company IBM as a young man in Hackney, east London, he started selling car aerials from a van, and later transistor radios.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2025

After firing about 10,000 mortar rounds during four years of training, one soldier who joined the Army with near-perfect scores on the military aptitude test was struggling to read or do basic math.

From New York Times • May 2, 2024

As part of the process, the Army will use a new aptitude test designed to identify soldiers who have a higher potential for being successful recruiters.

From Washington Times • Oct. 3, 2023

I could tell him I’ve been worried for weeks about what the aptitude test will tell me—Abnegation, Candor, Erudite, Amity, or Dauntless?

From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth