aptitude test

American

noun

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.

aptitude test British

noun

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

His mother, Amber Robinson, wrote on her Facebook page in 2020 about her son’s college aptitude test score, and posted a video of Robinson reading a letter for a scholarship.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 12, 2025

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

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 feel like I am back in the aptitude test room, with the mirrors all around me and the wires connected to my forehead.

From "Divergent" by Veronica Roth

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023