proof of concept

noun

plural proofs of concept

: something that demonstrates the feasibility of a concept (such as a product idea or a business plan)

Even if it succeeds, the $5.9 billion reactor will be just a proof of concept, with commercial fusion power still decades away.

—Corey S. Powell

Malware and virus-writing used to be something hobbyist hackers did for fun, as proofs of concept. Not anymore.

—Mat Honan

—often hyphenated when used before another noun

No invention is worth anything without the proof-of-concept prototype.

—Shintaro Asano

… proof-of-concept experiments funded with public money and years away from any commercial application, were sponsored by university biology departments.

—Andrew Curry

Examples of proof of concept in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That rapid turnaround makes radishes an ideal starter crop — a quick proof of concept before scaling up to more involved vegetables. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 24 Mar. 2026

So by the time Mark left, there had already been a little bit of a proof of concept that the show might be able to survive the loss of any one cast member. —Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Mar. 2026

The current work demonstrates a proof of concept, but the fabrication strategy is compatible with larger-scale manufacturing. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 20 Mar. 2026

To provide proof of concept, the Gators rattled off another 13-0 sprint late in the first half and entered halftime up 17. —Noah White, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above