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 formed a proof of concept that has informed the more recent expansion of the business. —Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 13 Nov. 2025

And those proof of concepts range from risk management right across to the customer interface. —Harvard Business Review, 13 Nov. 2025

The next general election may still be four years away, but for those who want more radical change, Connolly’s victory is proof of concept. —Gavan Reilly, Time, 12 Nov. 2025

The company delivered its first proof of concept with a sample of leather grown from animal cells released last year. —Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 12 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above