Synonyms

trial run

American

noun

a preliminary performance or test of something, as of the operation of a ship or the effectiveness of a play.

trial run British

noun

a test drive in a vehicle to assess its performance
a test or rehearsal of something new or untried to assess its effectiveness

"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 trial run

First recorded in 1900–05

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.

See Examples For:

trial run

China’s Xiaomi earlier this year started a trial run of humanoid robots in its EV plants.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

A robot with expressive eyebrows that is designed to perform basic tasks to free up healthcare workers is being given a trial run by a hospital in Milan.

From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026

Following a trial run, the retailer will also expand its fine-jewelry offerings — an area it has tried to reinvigorate in recent years — to 350 more locations.

From MarketWatch ● May 28, 2026

As it turned out, that game on 14 January provided Trubin with a trial run for his Champions League heroics.

From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2026

I run my hand over my ponytail and I’m glad that Zara made us trial run our wardrobe two weeks ago.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

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