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

“It’s basically a financial crime, and anything under $1 million is usually a probationary matter in terms of prison time,” says Robert Wittman, who formerly served on the FBI’s specialized Art Crime Team.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

Ortiz also pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy tied to the case and was sentenced to a probationary period of three years on Nov. 19.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 26, 2025

Article 27 says Fifa can "fully or partially suspend" a disciplinary measure for "a probationary period of one to four years".

From BBC • Nov. 26, 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

It would be better to give Mancuso a probationary period and kick him off the force.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

Related Words

• empirical
• preliminary
• unproved