test pilot

noun

: a pilot who specializes in putting new or experimental airplanes through maneuvers designed to test them (as for strength) by producing strains in excess of normal

Examples of test pilot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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During their time aboard the Starliner, Wilmore and Williams were in charge as test pilots. Amanda Castro, Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2025 Wilmore and Williams were initially set to spend about a week at the space station after serving as test pilots on the first crewed launch of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in June. Julia Shapero, The Hill, 17 Mar. 2025 So many problems cropped up on the way to the space station that NASA eventually sent Starliner back empty and transferred the test pilots to SpaceX, pushing their homecoming into February. arkansasonline.com, 19 Mar. 2025 Wilmore and Williams, both former U.S. Navy test pilots, expected to remain in orbit for about 10 days on the mission, which was called Crew Flight Test (CFT). Julian Dossett, Space.com, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for test pilot

Word History

First Known Use

1917, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of test pilot was in 1917

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Cite this Entry

“Test pilot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/test%20pilot. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

test pilot

noun
: a pilot who puts new aircraft through tests

More from Merriam-Webster on test pilot

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