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Synonyms

test flight

American  

noun

  1. a flight made to observe the performance characteristics of a new aircraft or spacecraft.

Etymology

Origin of test flight

First recorded in 1910–15

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.

Another is Anduril, a US defence technology company which carried out its first test flight of a fighter jet without a pilot in February.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

The third-generation Starship is designed for lunar and Martian missions, with its 12th test flight anticipated in late May.

From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026

This mission is a test flight designed to inform future treks, such as Artemis IV, a moon landing currently slated for 2028.

From Salon • Apr. 7, 2026

SpaceX delayed the next test flight of its massive Starship rocket, pushing off the highly anticipated mission by at least another month.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

“A test flight is all the inspection it needs,” Dad replied.

From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.