trial balloon

noun

: a project or scheme tentatively announced in order to test public opinion

Examples of trial balloon in a Sentence

She's been floating trial balloons about a possible run for Congress.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Putting a toe in the water, trying something new on for size, floating a trial balloon. — Mark Woolsey, AJC.com, 11 Feb. 2026 That trial balloon was unveiled by Steve Sadin in a front-page News-Sun story late last month. — Charles Selle, Chicago Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026 The applicants suggested that the proposal is being presented as a trial balloon. — George Avalos, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026 But in the two years since removing it from its online store, Apple has used the old M1 MacBook Air design as a sort of trial balloon. — ArsTechnica, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for trial balloon

Word History

First Known Use

1826, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of trial balloon was in 1826

Rhymes for trial balloon

See All Rhymes for trial balloon

Browse Nearby Words

trial balance
trial balloon
trial brief
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trial balloon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trial%20balloon. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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