test the water
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
'Put your toe' into a market to determine its temperature.
Where it’s used:
Used
Business & corporate jargon
Sources & notes
Imported from Wikipedia “List of business terms” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29), pending review.
Common questions
What does “test the water” mean?
'Put your toe' into a market to determine its temperature.
Is “test the water” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.