probationary

American  

[proh-bey-shuh-ner-ee] / proʊˈbeɪ ʃəˌnɛr i /

Rarely probational

adjective

1. being or relating to an act, process, or period of testing, as of a person’s character, performance, qualifications, etc..

   All our new hires have probationary status until their three-month review.

2. Law.

   1. relating to probation, a method of dealing with offenders, especially youth guilty of minor crimes or first offenses, by allowing them to go at large under the supervision of a probation officer.

      The judge’s options include sending the minor to a probationary camp for juvenile offenders.

   2. relating to conditional release.

      Clients who have completed the probationary period are discharged from the program and released from their prison sentence.

3. Education. being or relating to a trial period or condition of students who are being permitted to redeem academic failures, misconduct, etc..

   Remediation plans for each probationary student must be submitted to the department Chair by midterm.

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Other Word Forms

• unprobational adjective
• unprobationary adjective

Etymology

Origin of probationary

probation ( def. ) + -ary ( def. )

Explanation

Probationary describes a time period or process of testing someone out. At a new job, you may go through a probationary period while your boss considers whether you're a good fit. Probationary comes from the Latin probare, "to test." When someone's convicted of a nonviolent crime, they sometimes serve a probationary term, when they have to be on their best behavior. This kind of test period is common in employment, too; many new workers have to wait weeks before they qualify for benefits. You might even have a probationary period for your new dog: "Let's give him a few days and see if he gets along with the cat!"

Example Sentences

Joslin had about four weeks left in a two-year probationary period.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

Alvarado was placed on administrative leave after Ramirez reported him but has since completed his probationary period and been elevated to the rank of Police Officer II.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 10, 2025

Though he had been in the civil service for more than two years, a recent promotion designated him as a probationary worker—a category of staff among the first targeted for layoffs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 4, 2025

People can apply to an immigration judgeship and after a probationary period, the attorney general goes on to appoint them—but it’s not a lifetime appointment.

From Slate • Jul. 23, 2025

And the case seemed to have little impact on Southam’s professional standing: soon after the end of his probationary period, Southam was elected president of the American Association for Cancer Research.

From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot

Related Words

• empirical
• preliminary
• unproved