test pilot

noun

Synonyms of test pilotnext
: a pilot who specializes in putting new or experimental airplanes through maneuvers designed to test them (as for strength) by producing strains in excess of normal

Examples of test pilot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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This was a great test pilot mission. Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2026 As almost all the Mercury and Gemini astronauts were test pilots before being selected for interstellar service, Cooper knew them personally. Laura Ness, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2026 Nagel, an Air Force test pilot, served as a NASA astronaut from 1979 to 1995. Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Apr. 2026 Released in 2014, Interstellar took place in a dystopian future where Earth is suffering from world-ending famine, prompting a group of astronauts — led by former NASA test pilot Coop (Matthew McConaughey) — to go in search of a new home for humanity. Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for test pilot

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of test pilot was in 1917

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Cite this Entry

“Test pilot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/test%20pilot. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

test pilot

noun
: a pilot who puts new aircraft through tests

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