test-drove ˈtes(t)-ˌdrōv How to pronounce test-drive (audio) ; test-driven ˈtes(t)-ˌdri-vən How to pronounce test-drive (audio) ; test-driving ˈtes(t)-ˌdrī-viŋ How to pronounce test-drive (audio)

transitive verb

1
: to drive (a motor vehicle) in order to evaluate performance
2
: to use or examine (something, such as a computer program) in order to evaluate performance
test-drive the new game
test-drive noun

Examples of test-drive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As the world comes back to life, think about test-driving some new rituals that might make your ordinary routines feel more special. Grace McCarty, SELF, 11 Apr. 2024 Having test-driven every single one of the itineraries on her own is what makes Few & Far’s curation so special. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2024 Rare intimacy Five months before the Indy 200, Clark had been invited to test-drive the Fuji road course. Emiko Jozuka For Cnn, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024 His test-drive was one of many joyful discoveries at Puppets, Donuts and Coffee, a monthly meetup of the L.A. Puppetry Guild that has recently become a go-to gathering for a growing community of young puppeteers. Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 In August 2021, after the president announced an ambitious target that half of vehicles sold in the country by 2030 would be either battery electric, fuel-cell electric or plug-in hybrid, Biden test-drove an electric Jeep on the White House grounds. Ella Nilsen, CNN, 20 Mar. 2024 Waymo also plans to expand its test-drives to the public in Austin later in 2024. William Gavin, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2024 Over four days, guests can partake in premium experiences, from tasting dishes created by renowned celebrity chefs to test-driving cars built by the best marques. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 28 Feb. 2024 Apple secured permits from California to begin test-driving Lexus sport utility vehicles outfitted with sensors and computers. Tripp Mickle, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'test-drive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1950, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of test-drive was in 1950

Dictionary Entries Near test-drive

Cite this Entry

“Test-drive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/test-drive. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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