test case

noun

1
: a representative case whose outcome is likely to serve as a precedent
2
: a proceeding brought by agreement or on an understanding of the parties to obtain a decision as to the constitutionality of a statute

Examples of test case 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.
Notably, there’s a good chance that whoever runs against Ossoff will be a House Republican who voted for the bill, offering a prime test case for the politics surrounding it. Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 11 July 2025 One thing that the film and play misrepresent is the circumstances of Scopes' arrest, which was a deliberate test case to challenge the Tennessee law outlawing the teaching of evolution. Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 8 July 2025 On the ice, there could not have been a better test case for Berube’s system than Knies. Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 3 May 2025 Testing And Edge-Case Handling AI tools can generate a wide array of test cases based on past failures or code coverage gaps. Sebastian Avila, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for test case

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of test case was in 1850

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Test case.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/test%20case. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.

Legal Definition

test case

see case sense 1a

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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