on probation

idiom

1

: being tested and watched at a new job to see if one is able to do the job properly

As a new employee, I will be on probation for three months.

2

: being allowed to stay out of prison after committing a crime if one behaves well, does not commit another crime, etc.

She was arrested while on probation.

3

: being watched for a period of time during which one must behave well in order not to be seriously punished after having made a serious mistake or done something bad

He was on probation for cheating.

The student was put/placed on probation for copying test answers.

Examples of on probation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Probation for shots fired in Highland A Gary man got one year on probation Feb. 21 after pleading guilty to criminal recklessness, records show. —Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2025

At the time of the kidnapping, Torres-Garcia was still on probation. —Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2025

Multiple agencies reinstated some workers after firing them In mid-February, the Trump Administration fired thousands of federal workers in a round of layoffs that targeted employees on probation. —Brian Bennett, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025

Federal records do not officially tag employees who are on probation. —Lydia Depillis, New York Times, 25 Feb. 2025

Rhymes for on probation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation