as in challenging
requiring considerable physical or mental effort
beginning rock climbers should choose a less testing route to the summit
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in sampling
to put (something) to a test
please test this sample for the presence of lead
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in trying
to subject (a personal quality or faculty) to often excessive stress
all of these unnecessary questions are testing my patience
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of testing
Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 19 Sep. 2022
So a review of the principles and record of means-testing social programs is warranted.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2021
Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
The rally followed Musk’s claims that Tesla has been testing fully driverless vehicles in Austin, Texas, without safety drivers on board, nearly six months after launching an earlier pilot program that included human supervision.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for testing
Adjective
Our testers evaluated each Dutch oven’s performance, ease of use, durability, and value (once the retail price was revealed post-testing).
—Rennie Dyball, Peoplemag, 19 Sep. 2022
So a review of the principles and record of means-testing social programs is warranted.
—Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2021
Verb
Daughter Valarie, 10, and son Xander, 8, also play important roles as de facto focus group members charged with testing out what items to include in the spreads.
—Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 3 Jan. 2026
The rally followed Musk’s claims that Tesla has been testing fully driverless vehicles in Austin, Texas, without safety drivers on board, nearly six months after launching an earlier pilot program that included human supervision.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for testing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for testing
Adjective
-
But last month, Critchfield backed off in the face of a challenging state budget.—
Becca Savransky,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Depending on where in the country your family lives, winter can be a challenging time for kids who are cooped up inside amid the chillier weather.—
Mia Taylor,
Parents,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The build was subject to special inspections, which entailed the county sampling the concrete mix each day the machine was operating, similar to inspections used for commercial projects.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Standing on the dock, Wingfield’s colleague Steven Bender hauled sampling plates from the water, deployed to help staff track the invasion.—
CalMatters,
Mercury News,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Someone trying to keep the clicks coming to make a living, or a leader of the repressed?—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
My body’s in a C shape, trying to track the aim.—
Adam B. Vary,
Variety,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Jens generally chooses his words carefully, and is, what’s more, particularly reticent just after finishing a long and difficult winter delivery trip; what’s a person supposed to do with words in a blizzard anyway, up on a stormy heath and all directions lost?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
In his first start in the wake of Beau Pribula’s significant injury, Zollers walked into a difficult situation, and his stat line reflected it.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Whether revisiting legendary careers or examining the fleeting intensity of modern pop, these films offer music lovers a chance to experience the stories behind the sound.—
Charlie Vargas,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
-
This past summer, Brossoit and doctors, after examining his right hip, found the root cause of the knee pain — a cam lesion on the head of his femur that was causing issues with cartilage inside the joint.—
Curtis Pashelka,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
He was first elected to the House in 1992, and now represents an inland district stretching from the southern Riverside suburbs to Palm Springs.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Without stretching their budget, travelers can enjoy 22 miles of pristine coastline or cross the bridge to hop on a shuttle with Explore Jax Core Tours, where the city’s history, culture, and future unfold through vivid storytelling and physical representation.—
Essence,
Essence,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors.—
Harlan Vaughn,
CNBC,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The Encinitas Green Business Network provides a rigorous framework for local organizations to reduce their environmental footprint through actionable, practical, and high-impact improvements.—
News Release,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Kennedy Botts with Sisters PGH, a nonprofit serving the Black transgender community, is pushing back on that argument.—
Lauren Linder,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Friends of the Everglades is pushing for 160 square miles of additional conservation land in the Everglades Agricultural Area, to create space for 1 million more acre-feet of water storage.—
Amy Green,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Testing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/testing. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share