test the waters

phrase

variants or less commonly test the water
: to make a preliminary test or survey (as of reaction or interest) before embarking on a course of action

Examples of test the waters in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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LifePods enter a market already testing the waters, literally. New Atlas, 6 July 2026 For people already dealing with untreated hearing loss, this offers a low cost, low commitment way to test the waters before deciding whether a dedicated prescription hearing aid is worth the investment. Allison Palmer july 2, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Test the waters.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/test%20the%20waters. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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