on probation

idiom

1

: being tested and watched at a new job to see if one is able to do the job properly

As a new employee, I will be on probation for three months.

2

: being allowed to stay out of prison after committing a crime if one behaves well, does not commit another crime, etc.

She was arrested while on probation.

3

: being watched for a period of time during which one must behave well in order not to be seriously punished after having made a serious mistake or done something bad

He was on probation for cheating.

The student was put/placed on probation for copying test answers.

Examples of on probation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lewis was charged with one count of armed robbery and is currently on probation after pleading guilty to larceny in May. —Isabelle Friedman, Boston Herald, 28 Oct. 2025

Of those 87 arrestees, 67 had a criminal history, 25 were wanted on active warrants, 18 were on probation and seven were on parole, the monitor found. —Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2025

She was released on probation pending further hearings. —Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025

Siegel was still on probation for that case when he was charged in the Liberty incident in 2023. —Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2025

Rhymes for on probation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation