on trial
Idioms-
In the process of being tried, especially in a court of law. For example, He would be put on trial for the murder of his wife . [Early 1700s]
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As a test of something, on probation, as in They said we could take the vacuum cleaner on trial and return it if it was too noisy . [Early 1700s]
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.
He and two others are currently on trial.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
The judge had ruled in early August that Hernandez could remain free while on trial.
From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026
This rollout also comes at the same time Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg sits on trial over child safety concerns, specifically on Instagram, which could spell huge changes to the app in the near future.
From Slate ● Aug. 21, 2026
Former Assad regime officials have gone on trial in Germany, France and the U.S., but never before have former regime members faced trial inside Syria.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
I mean, if I was on trial for my life I’d want my lawyer to tear the prosecution witnesses to shreds, or at least to try.
From "Twelve Angry Men" by Reginald Rose
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
