Meanings
present singular third person tests the waters · participle present testing the waters · participle past tested the waters · past tested the waters · alternative test the water
- idiomaticTo explore or probe, as before making a commitment.
Taking classes in a subject is a good way to test the waters and explore a potential career.
Synonyms: dip one's toe in the water, put one's toe in the water, put out feelers
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo explore or probe, as before making a commitment.
Translations
Arabic جَسَّ النَّبْضَ
- جَسَّ النَّبْضَ (jassa n-nabḍa)explore or probe
Chinese Mandarin 試水溫 /试水温
- 試水溫 /试水温explore or probe
Finnish tunnustella maaperää
- tunnustella maaperääexplore or probe
French tâter le terrain, prendre la température
- tâter le terrainexplore or probe
- prendre la températureexplore or probe
Italian tastare il terreno, sondare
- tastare il terrenoexplore or probe
- sondareexplore or probe
Polish badać grunt, wybadać grunt
- badać gruntexplore or probe
- wybadać gruntexplore or probe
Russian прощу́пывать по́чву, прощу́пать по́чву
- прощу́пывать по́чву (proščúpyvatʹ póčvu)explore or probe
- прощу́пать по́чву (proščúpatʹ póčvu)explore or probe
Spanish tantear el terreno, catar el melón
- tantear el terrenoexplore or probe
- catar el melónexplore or probe
Swedish sondera terrängen
- sondera terrängenexplore or probe
Cite this entry
test the waters. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/test%20the%20waters
“test the waters.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/test%20the%20waters. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “test the waters,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/test%20the%20waters.
Source: test the waters on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.