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

See Examples For:

proving ground

"We're building a proving ground for Moon Base operations," said Ryan Stephan, NASA's Moon Base acting director of cargo landers.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

The race will be a proving ground for 2028.

From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026

Tinie Tempah agrees such shows are a crucial proving ground.

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 2026

Big hospital systems have become the proving ground for widespread AI adoption, testing what the technology can do, but also revealing—sometimes via alarming mishaps—where it falls flat.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 5, 2026

King Ogunwe hurried forward, as did the other commanders and the engineers, who had thrown open the doors and let the light flood out over the proving ground.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman