trial balloon

A 'trial balloon' is a strategy used to test reactions to an idea or proposal before making a commitment.

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Definition

(idiomatic)An idea or proposal presented to see how people will react before deciding whether to proceed.

The company floated a trial balloon to see if customers would be interested in a new product line.

(informal)A tentative announcement made to test public opinion on a policy or initiative.

The politician's speech was seen as a trial balloon to gauge voter support for the new policy.

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "trial balloon":