Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
a-trial-balloon
Noun
/ˈeɪ traɪəl bəˈluːn/
Definition
A trial balloon is a suggestion or idea that is put out to gauge public reaction before making a larger decision or commitment.
Examples
- The company released a trial balloon about potential layoffs to see how employees would respond.
- Before announcing the new policy, the politician floated a trial balloon to test voter opinions.
- She mentioned the idea of changing the meeting times as a trial balloon and gathered feedback from team members.
Meaning
It refers to a preliminary test or sample of a proposal to see if it is well received or to assess how people will react to it.
Synonyms
- Test case
- Trial run
- Preliminary suggestion
