1
as in experiments
a procedure or operation carried out to resolve an uncertainty
will need to run some tests on the blood sample to rule out blood poisoning
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in exams
a set of questions or problems designed to assess knowledge, skills, or intelligence
applicants for the cashier's position must first take a simple math test
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in samples
to put (something) to a test
please test this sample for the presence of lead
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in tries
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 tests
Dana G. Smith, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Those efforts led to Caterpillar’s first autonomous truck tests.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Jan. 2026
On Monday, Smith had not begun to clear the tests necessary to return to the court.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Who might be good candidates for these tests?
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 7 Jan. 2026
Historically, this stretch becomes one of the highest-pressure tests for campaigns.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 7 Jan. 2026
Topiel said tests can be helpful, but symptoms, which can be similar, are the best clues.
—Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
Growth Growth measures how well students performed on the end-of-year tests when compared with the previous year's results.
—Dmitry Martirosov, Arkansas Online, 12 Nov. 2025
Trump has also accused Russia − and China −of conducting secret underground nuclear weapons tests.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025
Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal, 8 Jan. 2026
The grants will fund development work over the next two years as Maryland tests how the tools could be used alongside existing systems.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 31 Dec. 2025
Some states allow a pharmacist to prescribe and administer appropriate treatment after someone tests positive for the flu.
—Dr. Jade Cobern, ABC News, 31 Dec. 2025
The highway safety and motor vehicle agencu includes Move Over Law education in the Florida Driver Handbook and even tests new drivers on the law during the licensing exam.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 27 Dec. 2025
My guess is Jennings tests his worth on the open market in March.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2025
The title of New York City radio heavyweight is usually won by welterweighting elsewhere in the country — this is precious commercial real estate, given to a commodity that tests well.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
As the president tests the limits of his executive authority and takes a bulldozer -- in some cases literally -- approach to changing Washington and the country, the ramifications for Republicans and Democrats are going to be played out in these results.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
This month tests your ability to evolve without self-sabotage.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
Numerous studies have shown that people who exercise regularly tend to perform better on attention, memory and executive functioning tests.
—Dana G. Smith, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
Those efforts led to Caterpillar’s first autonomous truck tests.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 7 Jan. 2026
On Monday, Smith had not begun to clear the tests necessary to return to the court.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
Who might be good candidates for these tests?
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 7 Jan. 2026
Historically, this stretch becomes one of the highest-pressure tests for campaigns.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 7 Jan. 2026
Topiel said tests can be helpful, but symptoms, which can be similar, are the best clues.
—Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 7 Jan. 2026
Growth Growth measures how well students performed on the end-of-year tests when compared with the previous year's results.
—Dmitry Martirosov, Arkansas Online, 12 Nov. 2025
Trump has also accused Russia − and China −of conducting secret underground nuclear weapons tests.
—Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025
Verb
Her license will remain suspended for 30 days, with an ignition interlock device that tests for alcohol to be installed on her vehicle for six months.
—Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal, 8 Jan. 2026
The grants will fund development work over the next two years as Maryland tests how the tools could be used alongside existing systems.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 31 Dec. 2025
Some states allow a pharmacist to prescribe and administer appropriate treatment after someone tests positive for the flu.
—Dr. Jade Cobern, ABC News, 31 Dec. 2025
The highway safety and motor vehicle agencu includes Move Over Law education in the Florida Driver Handbook and even tests new drivers on the law during the licensing exam.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 27 Dec. 2025
My guess is Jennings tests his worth on the open market in March.
—Matt Barrows, New York Times, 25 Dec. 2025
The title of New York City radio heavyweight is usually won by welterweighting elsewhere in the country — this is precious commercial real estate, given to a commodity that tests well.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
As the president tests the limits of his executive authority and takes a bulldozer -- in some cases literally -- approach to changing Washington and the country, the ramifications for Republicans and Democrats are going to be played out in these results.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 4 Nov. 2025
This month tests your ability to evolve without self-sabotage.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 4 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tests
Noun
-
The team highlighted that during experiments at NIF, lasers heated the capsules to extremely high temperatures, causing thermonuclear reactions that produced neutrons.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
-
In 1942, as desert warfare raged in North Africa, a crew of physiologists was dispatched to the Sonoran Desert to conduct experiments on soldiers.—
Alex Hutchinson,
Outside,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Every year in May the whole empire came to a stop for three days while 14-year-old Burgher kids sat for their comprehensive exams.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Kim Kardashian is pointing the finger at ChatGPT after failing several law school exams.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Walker deliciously samples new genres here, too.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
17 Nov. 2025
-
The new servo extruder continuously samples position and resistance at a rate of 20KHz.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
One of the agents tries to open the driver’s side door and reaches through the window.—
Devon Lum,
Twin Cities,
8 Jan. 2026
-
That opportunity can best be seized if the opposition remains active and tries to back the regime into a corner.—
Michael Albertus,
The Atlantic,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
By age 14, Abergel had dropped out of school, taken his graduate record examinations and ventured to New York in hopes of one day joining the American Ballet Theatre.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Nardello is described as a global investigations firm with expertise in tracing company assets, financial examinations, and criminal and civil white collar litigation, the committee said.—
Jonathan Randles,
Bloomberg,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Russia, which stretches over half of the Arctic Ocean coastline, currently controls a majority of the region.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado established a similar team in her 14th District, which stretches from downtown to Northeast Los Angeles.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
So much of Brazil strains the imagination—the interminable skyline of São Paulo, the beaches of Rio curving between monoliths of granite, the aquamarine pools trapped between the undulating dunes of Lençóis Maranhenses.—
William O'Connor,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Most respiratory viruses, including Covid-19, flu and RSV, act through the indirect pathway, Roberts said, while enterovirus strains – related to the viruses that cause hand, foot and mouth disease – can directly infect the heart muscle.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Kenya licensed 42 new digital lenders, raising the country’s total number to 195, as the central bank pushes to formalize a sector that has become an important part of East Africa’s largest economy.—
Preeti Jha,
semafor.com,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The financial asset label pushes prediction markets toward the exclusive jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), a federal agency, and grants immunity from state gambling laws and taxes on gross betting revenue.—
Dan Bernstein,
Sportico.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tests.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tests. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share