test bed

noun

: a vehicle (such as an airplane) used for testing new equipment (such as engines or weapons systems)
broadly : any device, facility, or means for testing something in development

Examples of test bed in a Sentence

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.
A number of structural advantages have made China a fertile test bed for self-driving cars. Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 26 Mar. 2026 Throughout its lifespan, the station has served as a test bed for scientific research in microgravity and has in years past opened itself up to private commercial missions. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026 Self-driving truck firm Einride will soon begin using a Central Texas highway as a test bed for its purpose-built, cabless autonomous freight vehicles. Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 17 Mar. 2026 The European Union functions as a test bed that nudges platforms toward global defaults, and other countries are already taking note. Jason Parham, Wired News, 23 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for test bed

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of test bed was in 1914

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Test bed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/test%20bed. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

test bed

noun
: a vehicle (as an airplane) used for testing new equipment
also : any device, facility, or means for testing something in development
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster