proving ground

American

noun

any place, context, or area for testing something, as a piece of scientific equipment, a theory, etc.

proving ground British

noun

a place or situation in which something new, such as equipment or a theory, can be tested

"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 proving ground

First recorded in 1940–45

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.

With millions now flowing through endorsement deals and revenue-sharing with colleges, more families see high school as a high-stakes proving ground.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 22, 2026

The 1988 protests were a proving ground for activists, some still challenging military rule today.

From Barron's • Dec. 23, 2025

But, the thinking went, there is a perfect proving ground conveniently circling the Earth, never more than about three days’ travel time away.

From Slate • Dec. 9, 2025

Kennedy is hopeful that the Celtic Challenge, a cross-border club competition with teams from Scotland, Ireland and Wales that launched in 2023, can provide a proving ground to rival England's PWR in time.

From BBC • Sep. 11, 2025

One proving ground only opened onto the next.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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