proving ground

American  

noun

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

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proving ground British  

noun

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

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Etymology

Origin of proving ground

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

In August 2022, Google introduced a chatbot model with a range of conversational abilities, making it available to a limited number of people through an app called AI Test Kitchen, a proving ground of sorts.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 7, 2026

For now, what's on the court for Baylor is a young man with a wealth of international experience and a chance to make a splash in a prime proving ground for NBA talent.

From Barron's • Jan. 4, 2026

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