stress test

¹ American  

noun

1. a test, especially one conducted in a laboratory, to determine how much pressure, tension, wear, or the like a given product or material can withstand.

2. Medicine/Medical. a test of cardiovascular health made by recording heart rate, blood pressure, electrocardiogram, and other parameters while a person undergoes physical exertion.

3. a simulation test to determine how a given institution, system, etc., would perform under greater than usual stresses or pressures.

   the government’s stress test for big banks;

   mandatory stress tests for nuclear plants;

   a website stress test that simulates peak traffic.

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stress-test ² American  

[stres-test] / ˈstrɛsˌtɛst /

verb (used with object)

1. to subject to a stress test.

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Other Word Forms

• stress-testing noun

Etymology

Origin of stress test

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Think of it as a stress test rather than a prediction.

From Science Daily • Apr. 5, 2026

“If the current stress test ends in two to three weeks, the economy should continue to grow, and so should corporate earnings,” reads a note from Yardeni Research published shortly after Trump’s speech.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

And any questions — ahem, mine — about how the barely-battled-tested boogie-down Bruins respond to a significant stress test were answered.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2026

It is a live stress test of the geopolitical and financial architecture underpinning China’s strategic ambitions.

From Barron's • Mar. 6, 2026

“It’s like a stress test for your plumbing.”

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman