Trial balloon
Etymology
A translation of the French “ballon d’essai,” the small balloon released to check wind conditions before a manned ascent. By the late 19th century it had become a political metaphor for releasing an idea to see which way opinion blows.
noun phrase · /TRY-ul buh-LOON/
A tentative proposal or leak floated to test public reaction before committing to it.
What it names
The deniable probe by which leaders gauge how an idea will land while keeping the option to disown it.
Example
The anonymous “sources say” leak was a trial balloon; when it drew outrage, the plan quietly vanished.
Related idea
A trial balloon tests reaction to a real possibility; a dead cat strategy instead throws out something shocking to change the subject, with no intention of following through.
See also